


Tangled

by heffermonkey



Series: Wear No Disguise [3]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: BDSM, Dom/sub, Gen, M/M, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-06
Updated: 2012-12-06
Packaged: 2017-11-20 12:08:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heffermonkey/pseuds/heffermonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A case hits close to home as the team work to track down an attacker who has a personal vendetta against Richard Steadman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fic is connected to (but not neccessarily a continuation of) 'Wear No Disguise' in which Steve and Danny are in a Dom/sub relationship.

"McGarrett," Steve said as he answered his phone. Danny looked over at him as they sat outside of Kamekona's shrimp shack, prodding at the food on his plate. He watched as Steve's face turned from relaxed to tense, eyes narrowing as he got up from the table. "All right, all right, calm down John. What's happened?"

Danny got to his feet also as Steve motioned to him with one hand and headed for the car, Danny hot at his heels, food forgotten. 

"Tell Rick we're on our way," he heard Steve reply hurriedly.

"What's up?" Danny asked concerned. 

"Someone's attacked Kau'i," Steve said, sliding into the driver’s seat and speed dialling Chin before he explained everything to Danny.

"What?" Danny exclaimed, pulling on his belt as Steve gave Chin Rick's address and demanded he and Kono meet him there along with an ambulance and investigation crew. "Steve?"

"I don't know Danny," Steve said, tossing his phone onto the dash and starting the car. "But from how John sounded on the phone, it's serious."

They exchanged a lingering look of concern before Steve put his foot down, car speeding through the traffic. They needed to get to Rick's before everyone else arrived.

~  
Eleven minutes earlier - 

"John?" 

He came to an abrupt halt, un-nerved. The voice seemed dis-embodied and in the dark there was an eerie, haunted feel in the rooms. 

'Get a grip,' John thought to himself, glancing around. He was about to move on but something caught his attention, a dull light coming from one of the back compartments where the heavier S&M 'cells' were placed. He back tracked a little to peer down the 'corridor' of rooms.

There was a noise like a heavy, desperate groan of pain and the sound put him on edge again. Giving himself a mental shake he walked along the row of cells, eyes growing accustomed to the dimness. As he neared his steps faltered and he had to force himself to draw closer, it was like his heart thumped harder in his chest and he could hear the roar of heartbeats in his ears.

"John, help, please" Kau'i's voice echoed around him and he realised the intercom of the cell must have been switched on, enabling him to hear Kau'i. But it was barely Kau'i's voice, it was strained and desperate and not really him. The vision before him wasn't Kau'i. It couldn't be.

It took a moment for him to move into action, mind whirring as to what to do first. Rick, he had to get Rick, he would know what to do. Though it felt like pouring more torture onto the already grotesque sight before him John turned, swallowing down the bile threatening to rise in his throat and ran through the cells, out to the stairs, gripping the banister just so he had something to hold him steady.

"Rick," he managed to breathe out.

"Is he up there?" Rick said turning to look up at him, alarm suddenly featuring on his face when he looked up at John, seeing something was wrong. "What's wrong John?"

"Kau'i, it's Kau'i," John told him, unable to form the words. "You gotta, fuck Rick, he's, you've got to help him."

Rick was already heading up the stairs in concern and coming to stand by him he placed a hand on his arm, feeling the fearful trembling in his limbs. 

"He's in there," John told him, stumbling after him as Rick quickly made his way into the 'cell's'.

It took Rick a moment to figure out where John meant, taking a long pause to take in what he was seeing. Somehow it didn't seem real and everything slowed to nothing as he took in the sight of his lover, eyes connecting with his. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"John, call an ambulance. Then I want you to call Danny or Steve and tell them to get over here with their team straight away,” He said turning to face him, strangely calm but firm, knowing panic wouldn't help the nightmare. "Go! Tell Lei to let them in when they arrive then come back up here so you can help me."

"Help you," John repeated with a dull nod, as if trying to assimilate the instructions Rick had given him, Rick could already see the signs of shock trying to push in. He couldn't let either of them lose focus here; Kau'i needed them first before they gave in to the upset. He gripped John by the shoulders and gave him a brief shake. 

"John, go do that for me okay," he said, getting John to look him in the eye. "We're going to help Kau'i until the ambulance arrives. Go."

He gave him a push and John left quickly, already punching numbers into the phone. Rick turned back to the cell and took in a breath, before he let himself into the side door. He flicked off the intercom; Kau'i's breathing had been like a weird, disembodied spirit outside in the viewing area with them.

"Rick," Kau'i managed to grunt out and he was in severe pain, Rick could see never mind hear.

"It's okay Kau'i, I'm here now, I'm going to help baby," Rick assured him, glancing around the room. He wanted to wrench him down from where he was strapped to the rack but he had to stay calm. He had to stay focused. He was no use to him otherwise.

"I don't -," Kau'i was trying to say but even speaking was a task and he swallowed down an agonised yelp of pain.

"Shh, don't talk, just let me look at you," Rick told him, careful where he put his hands. 

The cell was fitted out for extreme S&M practices. It was one Rick was reluctant to allow the use of unless he was certain of the professional practice of those who wanted it. At parties it was kept locked and plans were for it only to be rented out to people he vetoed. Kau'i was attached to the rack, the thick, heavily buckled wrist and ankle cuffs holding his limbs in place. His torturer had also put on the arm guards for that extra hold, as well as the neck brace and Kau'i wouldn't have had any chance of escape even if he were capable of getting his hands loose. It was designed to fully immobilise a person; that was its purpose. The rack was stood vertical to add to the pain as everything the torturer had placed onto Kau'i's body hung loose, gravity pulling them down.

Rick wasn't even sure where to start first. Clover nipple clamps were in place, a tight chain connecting from them to a cock ring. Heavy weights had also been attached along the chain to add to the pressure and pull. Clamps had also been attached to Kau'i's testicles, with heavy weights attached there also. Rick had seen extreme S&M practised and this was worse than anything he'd witnessed, especially considering Kau'i wasn't into that side of the scene. He could barely be drawn on his opinion of S&M. It wasn't just the sight of the evident torture the devices were intended for that troubled Rick. Kau'i's skin had been carved into, professional cuts across his upper chest, long thin lines arched down from his shoulder to his nipples, clotted with blood. Track marks covered his abdomen and Rick recognised them as the marks of a cat of nine whipping, only these had been brutally delivered.

He stayed focused on freeing Kau'i and not on the anguish he felt for his lover. Or the revenge he felt towards the attacker who had done this to him. He carefully shrouded himself into business mode because if he gave way to his anger and upset he'd be no use to Kau'i and right now more than ever Kau'i was trusting and needing him. He went to the back of the room and opened a small cupboard, finding the first aid kit put into every cell for safety. He pulled out a pair of medical gloves and went back over to Kau'i.

"Okay Kau'i, I'm going to get this all off you okay?" He said, rubbing a hand gently against his hip. "I'll untie you afterwards but right now we're going to get this stuff removed and you’re best kept still. Understand me?"

Kau'i gave a whimpering gulp and tried for a nod, grimacing as even the slightest of movement caused the weights to shift.

"Rick?" John appeared in the doorway, "I made the calls. Ambulance is on its way and Steve said they'd be over straight away."

"Good, get some gloves and bring the kit over," Rick said with a nod towards the back of the room. "You can help me until they arrive. Kau'i, I'm going to remove the weights okay."

He tried to be careful but there was a handful of various weights attached and removing them sent the others rocking. Kau'i groaned in agony as his body dealt with the pain.

"Fuck I'm sorry," Rick muttered angrily, working fast as he could. "John get me something to put these in. Maybe they'll be able to get some kind of evidence off them."

It took time to remove the weights from his cock and testicles. Clamps had also been placed on his perineum, pulling down agonisingly away from his body and Kau'i groaned and shook as it was removed.

"Fuck. Bastard son of a bitch," Rick whispered, fingers brushing against a butt plug in Kau'i's ass as well. He carefully removed it, anger welling up when he noted little lube had been used to help its entry. "Fuck,” he repeated in distaste as he tossed the plug into the dish John had placed nearby.

John was carefully trying to soothe Kau'i, a hand on his shoulder, fingers brushing the side of his face. Kau'i was looking at him, eyes full of pain and torment, trying to brave through the removal and impossibly trying to breathe through the pain. Rick shifted to the nipple clamps, removing the weights there and unclipping the chain as gently as he could. He gave the clamps a closer look and cursed again.

"Fucking hell," he said, giving John a glance, eyes full of anger. He turned his eyes to Kau'i who was watching him, pain and fear reflected back to him and he swallowed down on his anger, speaking calmly to him. "Kau'i, removing the clamps is going to hurt like a fucking bitch, gonna take me some time to ease them off. We'll get you off the rack and lay you down first okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kau'i managed to stutter out, fully trusting Rick's wisdom on it.

"John, go get some blankets," Rick told him. "We'll lay him up on the table for now."

John left the room without pause as Rick knelt low and worked at the buckles of the ankle restraints. Standing he worked at the arm restraints and finally the neck brace. He paused and ran fingers over Kau'i's face in a gentle caress. "You're doing great Kau'i, we're going to get you to the hospital and they're gonna take care of you."

~

As they pulled up to Rick's drive, Danny glanced around for signs of Chin and Kono's arrival but their car wasn't there. 

"Chin and Kono are going to have some questions," he murmured as they exited the vehicle and made their way to the front door.

"Yeah," Steve nodded in agreement, casting him an uncertain look.

"We'll deal with it," Danny shrugged, resting a hand on his arm briefly as the door was opened and one of Rick's staff let them in. 

She directed them upstairs to the cells and they gave each other another look before climbing the stairs. As they entered the 'cells' wing, they saw John carrying bundles of blankets in his arms, pausing as he saw them. His features looked haunted as he took them in. 

"We found Kau'i in one of the cells," John said quietly. "Rick's in there with him."

HIs voice cracked as he spoke and he turned away, walking down the row of cells to the end, Steve and Danny followed close behind and took in the sight before them through the cell window. Rick was carefully removing items from Kau'i's body as he remained strapped to the rack, but the physical torture was evident along with the items still attached to him.

"Fuck," Steve whispered under his breath angrily, looking to Danny.

Danny merely stared ahead of him; anger didn't come close to what he was feeling as he watched Rick work to free his lover of his pain.

~

'I'm gonna find the fucking bastard who did this and make him pay,' Rick thought to himself, looking sideways as John arrived with an armful of blankets.

"Steve and Danny are here," John told him, nodding towards the window.

Rick turned to see both Steve and Danny standing subdued outside of the cell looking in. Kau'i whimpered again, a flush on his cheeks and Rick turned back to him, seeing the shame in his eyes at the predicament. John and himself Kau'i trusted, but to be seen like this by more people just added to the humiliation.

"John, draw the screen and tell them we're going to get Kau'i comfortable first," Rick ordered, understanding his lovers’ reaction.

As John did Rick soothed his fingers over Kau'i's face again, getting him to look at him and giving him a brave smile, a braver one than he felt. He'd never been so frightened or at a loss like this before, he felt vulnerable. Someone had broken into the house, had had time to meticulously torture his lover before leaving, all undetected. Kau'i stared back at him, like focusing on him helped deal with what was going on. Rick didn't feel he deserved the trust Kau'i put on him, not now, not like this. John came back to his side disturbing his thoughts and he blinked, getting back on track to untying him.

"Okay, John is going to undo your hands now Kau'i and we're going to get you comfortable, you just hold onto me okay" Rick told him, giving John a look to get on with it. "Steve and Danny are here to investigate what's happened; they are here to help us."

"I know," Kau'i replied in understanding.

One arm free he weakly tried to place it around Rick, grunting and moaning from the agony of moving his limbs after such a long time of being tied up. Rick took his weight effortlessly as John undid the other buckles.

"All right, it's okay I got you, I got you," Rick soothed, delicately trying not to hold him too tight, aware of the pain he was in. 

"John, table."

He shifted Kau'i in his arms enough to be able to scoop him up, moving over to the table and laying him down on a blanket John laid out, rolling another one into a pillow.

"Get some antiseptic wipes," Rick said as Kau'i lay mute and shivering. "Kau'i I'm going to take the clamps off now and the cock ring."

He worked on the cock ring first, it was rubber and easily removed but Kau'i's groin area had been tortured so harshly he went easy, trying to ignore the painful groans as he worked. Once off he pulled a blanket up over Kau'i's legs and set to work on the clamps. They were tricky, pulled so tight from the weights the teeth had bitten into the skin, drawn blood and looked like they were embedded.

"Fucking hell,” Rick muttered again, moving up to brush a hand over Kau'i's brow. "Kau'i I'm sorry, this is going to hurt baby."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at John who gave him a trusting look before reaching down and taking Kau'i's hand. Rick set the sterile wipes beside him, taking one and sucking in a breath before he brushed it tenderly over one of the clamps. Kau'i whimpered but tried not to move as he started teasing the clamp to loosen, it took time and there was movement at the door as he felt it starting to come off.

"Rick, the ambulance has arrived," he heard Danny say quietly from the door.

"Right, good," Rick nodded without turning. "Get them in here and I'll explain what they've got to deal with."

It was with a grimace he teased the clamp off and Kau'i grunted, breathing in deep breaths as he dealt with the new pain.

"Okay baby, one down, one to go," Rick assured him in a soothing tone, “Nearly there pet and then we'll get you seen too. Just keep focused on me Kau'i."

He heard other people join them in the already cramped space as the ambulance crew walked in.

"What we got?" he heard a strange voice ask behind him.

"His name is Kau'i Keahi, 33," Rick told them as he worked on the other clamp. It was coming off easier than the other, though no less painful. "We found him about ten minutes ago trussed up to that rack. Multiple cuts on his upper body, he's also been whipped on his abdomen and tortured with the items you'll see in the bowl over by the rack. Several clamps with weights were attached to his nipples, penis, testicles and perineum as well as a plug forced into the anal passage. This was all designed to create extreme pain and trauma. I don't know how long he was in that position but considering the look of the tortured areas my guess would be at least a few hours."

As he talked the other clamp pulled clear and he slouched his shoulders with a sigh of relief. He gave Kau'i's shoulder a squeeze and cupped his face a moment with his hand reassuringly. Kau'i reached up and grasped his hand weakly for a moment, staring up at him with a trusting look before he pulled away. 

"Please do everything you can for him," Rick said, turning to the staff who quickly sidestepped him to get to their patient.

He stayed whilst the team took in what they had to deal with, getting IV lines into Kau'i's arms before laying out the stretcher. Rick and John helped manoeuvre him onto the stretcher and Rick took Kau'i's hand. 

"I'll follow you to the hospital as soon as I can, you're going to be fine," Rick assured him, getting a squeeze of fingers in response and Kau'i nodded his head softly. "I'm going to stay and talk to Steve and Danny first and then I'll be there, I promise baby."

He followed the crew out of the cell and watched as they quickly left with their patient. Pausing Rick let out a sigh, the impact of what had just gone on suddenly starting to hit him as he looked at Steve and Danny.

"I need you to find out who did this," Rick told them, an order, not a request. If they didn't find the bastard then he'd pay someone who could.

Steve gave a nod of his head, anger and determination on his face. "Don't worry, we'll find them."

"We need to let a team up here to gather evidence from in there,” Danny pointed out.

"I know this seems a pathetic thing to say under the circumstances but I'd prefer this to be kept as quiet as possible," Rick said after a moment. "If word gets out to the media about the activity that goes on here there will be press all over the place. Plus I don't want Kau'i's name dragged through the mud because what goes on here becomes front page news of some sleazy local tabloid."

"Don't worry, it's my team involved and we'll be as discreet as possible," Steve assured him, understanding the reasons behind it. People had a much skewed view when it came to certain subjects. "Danny, you and Chin check out the room and get the CSI's involved. Let them know what happens if they conduct themselves in any way other than professionally about this case. Kono and I will look into the security footage, talk to the staff and start seeing if we can get any leads after we've spoken to Rick and John."

"On it," Danny agreed, putting a hand on Rick's shoulder in a show of silent support, before heading off to get Chin.

"Let's go somewhere we can talk," Steve said to Rick and John.

"My study," Rick nodded. They went back out into the main hall, Chin giving a cursory nod as he and Danny passed by to check out the crime scene. Kono was hovering in the hall below.

"Kono," Steve beckoned her and she came up the stairwell and followed them as they went into Rick’s private rooms. He explained to her the situation as they went.

"So, from the beginning, tell us what happened,” Steve said as they all took seats in Rick's study.

"John and I had been out for a late lunch discussing some business details," Rick explained as John sat nearby, staring down at his hands. "Kau'i had called me this morning to say he was only working a half day so I expected him to be home when I got back. He wasn't downstairs and John had things to put in the office, that's when he called me up."

"You found him?" Kono asked, looking to John who nodded slowly.

"It's habit to just walk through the cells instead of around them," John added in explanation. "If I hadn't, it may have been longer before -."

John trailed off and swallowed down, pursing his lips and fingers bunching into fists. Rick reached over and settled a reassuring hand onto his shoulder.

"It's okay John," he whispered, even though he knew things were far from okay.

"Is there any family we should contact for Kau'i?" Kono asked.

Rick looked at her sharply and firmly shook his head, "His family don't speak to him. They made things very clear a long time ago about what they think about certain choices he's made about how he lives his life. Officially I’m named as next of kin."

"Do you have any idea who would do this to him? Steve asked. "Any enemies? Someone who had a vendetta against him, looking for some kind of revenge?" 

Rick shook his head again, looking at Steve still angry and shocked by the event. "Not that I know of, we're close, he would have confided in me if he were having trouble with someone."

"But you can't be sure?" Steve confirmed.

"No I can't," Rick admitted. "But I would have known if there was something he wasn't telling me. I would have known."

Steve nodded in agreement and understanding. He could personally vouch for the close relationship Rick and Kau'i had being a close friend of theirs.

"What about an ex?" Kono asked him. "Is it possible someone from his past holds a grudge? Someone he used to know who had recently showed up again?"

Rick thought about it a moment before shaking his head. "No. Before we got together he hadn't been with anyone, not for a good few months."

"What about you?" Steve said to Rick. "Is there anyone you know who'd do this in order to hurt you?"

"No, not that I can think of," Rick shook his head fiercely. "Like Kau'i I'd been without a partner for a long time before we met. But I can tell you one thing; whoever did this knew what they were doing. That wasn't a sloppy job in there; they were skilled in knowing exactly how much pain they were imposing. What makes it worse is Kau'i's aversion to it, perhaps someone practised in the scene would have been able to cope with the torture but he's never been one for that kind of pain."

He filtered off, giving John a look, disturbed by the idea of Kau'i's suffering. He and Kau'i had dabbled in more intense scenes that involved pain, when they'd first met and were getting to know each other. But Kau'i responded to affection, a soft touch, a more sensual, sensitive scene than anything fuelled by pain.

"We need to look at the security footage," Steve said in thought

"Of course," John nodded his head. "The security room is downstairs, it isn't always manned but the feed is 24/7. I'll give you an access key, take anything you need"

"What about the staff? Would there have been anyone around?"

"The staff aren't usually here after lunch unless I'm entertaining on the afternoon or evening," Rick shook his head. "Lei is the housekeeper, she's to and from the house all the time, morning, noon and night. None of the staff go into the cell wing and Lei is one of only a few allowed in my private quarters."

"So she could have been in the house whilst this was going on and been none the wiser because of it," Steve mused. 

"Possibly, the house is big, there are a few entrances and exits, but only if you know the layout well. Quite possible she wasn't aware Kau'i was here and the person who did this could have entered and exited without her being aware of them."

"That would mean the perpetrator knew the layout of the house," Kono jumped in.

"That would include staff," Steve nodded. "Any problems with staff that you know about?"

"No, they are all very loyal. I deal with the staff more than Kau'i," Rick replied. "If there were any frictions between them and Kau'i I'd have known about it. I don't lord it over the staff, I know these people, Kau'i knows them, I can't imagine any of them being capable of this sort of thing."

"You said they don't go into the - 'cells'," Kono said awkwardly. "Why is that?"

Rick looked up at her, gave a small knowing smile. "My lifestyle, my tastes, they aren't for everyone. I don't hide that side of me but I don't like to shove it in people’s faces either. My staff understands the kind of man I am, the kind of relationships I enjoy and what it is I do as a living, but I know it makes people uncomfortable so I like to keep things on an even keel. Some of them have a healthy - curiosity - about it, but others like to keep a blind eye to it. Myself, Kau'i and John look after the cells, it is after all part of my working life. I keep it and my home as separate as possible, even if they do exist under the same roof."

Kono gave a small nod of understanding and looked to Steve who gave a small shrug and pushed himself to his feet.

"Kono, go with John and start going through the security feeds. Hopefully we'll get something from it," he ordered as Kono stood also.

"Okay," she nodded, giving Rick a look and grim smile before leaving with John.

Rick also stood, waiting for the two to leave before he let out a sigh, dropping his shoulders and shaking his head. Steve went to him, resting a hand on his arm.

"We will find out who did this Rick," Steve assured him.

"I just, I can't understand it," Rick said, shaking his head again and shrugging. "I don't understand why. How could they do that to him?"

Steve had no answers to give him and stood quietly with him a moment. In the years he'd known Rick Steadman he'd never seen the man so vulnerable and uncertain. He gave a squeeze of his fingers and got Rick's attention.

"Let us do our jobs," Steve told him. "You go to the hospital, take care of Kau. We'll be there to get a statement from him as soon as he's up to giving one."


	2. Chapter 2

~

When Rick arrived at the hospital the staff were still dealing with Kau'i and wouldn't allow him access. It was the longest wait of his life sitting in the waiting area for news. He knew at least Kau'i wasn't in any critical condition but Rick couldn't think straight, he couldn't focus. He felt helpless and he didn't know how to deal with that feeling, not when he was so used to being in control. Everything in his life was structured but now, this, this knocked everything flat. Part of him didn't care - he'd give everything up that he'd worked for in his life if he could go back, stop Kau'i from returning to the house without him there.

He looked up as a nurse walked by, a clipped 'tip tap' of her feet on the tiles but she walked right by. He watched the retreating figure before sitting back, closing his eyes and sighing. When he closed his eyes all he could think of was Kau'i, seeing him through the window tied to the rack. Tortured. Broken. Grimacing, Rick put a hand to his face and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to chase away the memory. And the look on Kau'i's face as he'd approached him, still so trusting, so hopeful that he could fix what had happened. Take away the pain and the nightmare. Rick didn't have the strength to suggest to him that maybe he couldn't make things right this time; that fixing this was beyond his capabilities.

Rick sucked in a breath to stop the sobs that caught in his throat. It was his fault. If he didn't do what he did, if he'd lived a different life, if he'd chosen different then it wouldn't have happened. But he'd indulged in his youth, become curious with age, explored that darker side of himself that enjoyed control, enjoyed the controversy of the lifestyle, the pleasures and complexities. He'd prided himself in becoming a Master of the scene. And for what? For the one person in his life; the one person who'd gotten under his skin, who'd crawled into his heart; the one person who owned him completely - tied to a rack in his 'cells' and get tortured, whipped and mutilated by an attacker.

He, Richard Steadman, his Master and Dominant, had handed them the means of that torture on a silver platter.

"Rick."

Danny's voice cut through his self-loathing and he swallowed down hard, breathed in deep and dropped his hand, opening his eyes to find a Styrofoam cup floating in his eye line. It smelled of bad coffee. Rick took the cup and put it to his lips even so, ignoring the heat and swallowing back a mouthful of the bitter liquid. Danny stood grimly by him watching, Steve heading along the hall towards them.

"Any news?" Danny asked as Rick lowered the cup and settled it on the arm of the hard chair he sat on.

Rick shook his head, looking in the direction of the room they had Kau'i in.

Danny sat by him with a sigh, Steve sitting down by Danny silently, a grim look set on his face.

"How you doing?" Danny asked instead.

Rick shook his head again, bringing his eyes up to look at Danny sombrely, “Not so good."

"The docs will get him fixed up," Danny said, trying for assured, sitting back on his chair.

"No they'll patch up his wounds, perhaps give him some stiches, and get him comfortable. They'll keep him in for a few days to keep an eye on him and then discharge him because they need the bed space," Rick muttered bitterly. "But they won't fix him."

"Rick," Danny started but Rick cut him off roughly.

"It won't fix him," he repeated through gritted teeth, at a loss as to quite how Kau'i would recover from what had happened. "Have you got anything yet?"

"Kono's working on the security feeds and we've got priority on the labs. Possible there's some fingerprints on some of the - items - used on Kau'i," Danny informed him. "Any news and we'll know ASAP."

A doctor approached and Rick stood quickly, followed by Danny and Steve who introduced themselves as working on the case.

"He's comfortable," the Doctor explained. "I've given him something to help him sleep and we have him on an IV to deal with mild dehydration. The cuts on his chest didn't cause much blood loss, though we've had to give him some stiches. He simply needs to rest and recover from the ordeal."

"Can I see him?" Rick asked, grateful of the doctor’s help and hopeful of a swift recovery even if he knew it would take more than a few stiches and sleeping pills to fix his partner.

"Yes of course," the Doctor agreed. "He's on a heavy sedative at the moment but if it will put your mind at ease you can go in for a few minutes."

Danny put a hand out and patted Rick on the shoulder, "Go on, we'll wait here."

They watched Rick go down the hallway with the Doctor to Kau'i's room before looking to one another.

"This is fucked up," Danny sighed, sitting back down on his chair. "I've not seen Rick like this before."

"Do you blame him?" Steve said sitting by him, leaning forward on his elbows.

"No," Danny sighed again shaking his head. He glanced at Steve who was quiet and contemplative beside him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Steve replied quickly, nodding his head too vigorously. Danny knew something was playing on his mind but now wasn't the time to discuss it. Before he had time to say anything more Steve's phone shrilled in his pocket and Steve jumped from his seat, grateful of the interruption.

"McGarrett," he barked into the phone, stalking off along the hall.

Danny sat and watched him a moment before getting up himself and following. Steve had paced off but Danny paused by Kau'i's room and glanced in through the blinds of the window. Rick was sat on the edge of the bed holding his hand, he looked helpless and worry etched over his brow. Danny tried to imagine if it were him, if he'd found Steve in such a state. He shuddered, unable to conjure the image; it was too frightening, too sickening. He'd only gotten a glimpse of the state Kau'i' had been in when they'd arrived at the house. John had pulled the screen closed and Danny had understood, he'd seen the helplessness and embarrassment on Kau'i's features knowing he was being viewed in such a state. He turned away from the window, not wanting Rick to find him viewing them once more. Instead he focused on Steve, Steve who was walking back up to him with a look on his face, determined and intense.

"Kono's got something from the security feed," he said, tapping lightly on the window to get Rick's attention. Seeing Rick look up he gestured for him to join them.

"What is it?" Danny asked as Steve fumbled with his phone.

"She's got a face," Steve explained as Rick joined them, closing the door behind them. "She's running it through facial recognition right now."

He pressed a few keys on the phone and took in the image Kono had forwarded to his phone before he held it up for Danny and Rick to see.

"David," Rick hissed out under his breath, leaning back against the door.

Danny and Steve both looked at him in alarm. "You know this guy?"

"He and I, we were-," Rick said, going pale at the idea. "We were lovers, partners, our relationship ended a long time ago but - I can't believe."

He felt weak, his knees shaking and he swallowed down on bile swimming in his throat. Danny took him by the arm and pulled him back along to the seating area, Steve going to get some water for him.

"All right Rick, from the beginning-," Danny said and Rick started to explain.

"David and I were serious for some years, but it was a long time ago," Rick said, thinking back over the years he and David had been together. "It was about the time I began taking clients and building up a name for myself in the scene as a Dom. David encouraged and supported me in that and was my sounding board when I began thinking about and designing the 'cells' within the house. I wanted a space at home where I could cater for my different clients in a safe place. We were together for a long time and the break up came as a huge shock. I just hadn't expected it. It was as if one day he just woke up and hated me and I didn't understand what had gone wrong, what I'd done wrong for him to despise me like he suddenly did. He began the process of a law suit against me after the break up, saying I owed him money from the business but the case collapsed before it got off the ground. Let’s just say our break up wasn't pretty and we both ended up saying things that were hurtful and untrue. After the case collapsed I received a final visit from him and he told me he was leaving the island. I've never saw or spoken to him since then."

"How long was it between your break up and the time you met Kau'i?" Danny asked gently, sympathetic to his friend’s difficulty in talking about the break up with his ex.

"It was a couple of years, Kau'i came with a friend to one of the parties but it was some time before I even agreed to do a session with him," Rick replied with a small smile. "I had the feeling he was interested in more than running a 'scene' together and I wasn't ready to start anything. I resisted him for a quite a while be he never gave up and I finally relented to run a scene or two with him. It was quickly evident there was a chemistry there, more than that and he slowly broke down all the defences I'd put up not to get hurt again."

"So David and Kau have never met?" Danny thought aloud, trying to piece together the puzzle but finding nothing fitted.

"No, never," Rick shook his head. "Kau'i knows about David and the break up but that's it. I don't understand this, why would David do this to him?"

"Tell me about David," Danny coaxed Rick into another direction. "As a sub. What was he into?"

"He was the first one I had a real relationship with, as partners as well as Dom and sub," Rick said. "Things became pretty intense between the two of us. I was gaining confidence as a Dom and I was able to push the boundaries with him."

"How so?" Danny questioned, curious to this David's urges and desires. "Was he into pain? S&M? Blood play?"

"Pain was a big factor," Rick nodded with a slight grimace. "David had a definite dark side when it came to S&M and heavy bondage."

"That ever concern you?" Danny pressed as Rick stared off down the hall towards Kau'i's room again.

Rick shook his head sadly, "No. It was just who he was, within a scene, he could become so focused and intense in his submission. My dominant side drank it up and it was as if we fed off each other’s energy. But then, towards the end, things changed. It was as if he hated me for bringing out that part of him. You know how protective and caring you feel and become as a Dom, how aware you have to be about the emotional headspace of a submissive? He accused me of neglect, of not caring enough. I was crushed, I felt so guilty that I'd made him feel that way. I tried to make things right but he didn't want to hear it. He didn't want anything else to do with me and I let him walk away, I thought it was all my own fault, that I'd become too proud as a Master Dom. It took a long time before I could accept that the relationship had simply run its course and David had just wanted out."

Rick put his head in his hands and sighed, trying to clear his thoughts. The one question he couldn't answer was why? He couldn't understand David's reason for doing this. Danny looked at Steve who sat silently beside him, ignoring his glance. He was listening along but studiously avoiding being drawn into the conversation.

~

Rick spoke to the doctors and nurses again but there was little to do but sit by Kau’i’s bedside as he began the recovery process. The sedative helped him sleep and it eased Rick slightly to see how peaceful he looked, though he knew when he was awake it was going to be difficult to talk about what had happened. When Kau’i woke Rick grasped his hand even tighter.

"Kau'i," Rick started quietly, drawing his hand up to his lips. "I'm sorry baby, this is all my fault."

Kau'i sighed and draw his hand away from Rick's face to brush his fingers over his face, pulling his face up to look at him properly.

"Don't Rick," Kau'i said with a grimace. "Don't put this on you. This isn't anybody’s fault. It just happened. Some sick fuck got into the house and attacked me. It isn't your fault."

"It was David," Rick said before letting out a gasp of breath he didn't know he was holding in. The weight of what that implied was just beginning to sink in and he sank down, head in his hands. "It was David, Kau. They got him on the surveillance tapes. He did this and it's to take revenge on me, I know it is. So you see it is my fault. If things hadn't ended as they did between us, this wouldn't have happened to you. If I hadn't had those fucking cells built - fuck if I wasn't who I was, didn't do what I did-."

"We'd never have met," Kau'i finished for him, resting a hand gently on his head as Rick sank miserably against him, head on his chest. "I'd not be who I am today. I'd never have fallen in love, I'd never have become comfortable with who I am. You're not blaming yourself for what happened Richard, I won't let you. I love you too much to let you think like that. Rick?"

Rick found himself crying and couldn't move for the moment, he wanted to believe what Kau'i was saying but he doubted the words. He couldn't help but see that because of him this had happened. Kau'i rubbed his fingers into his hair gently and let him have his moment of self-doubt and self-pity.

"C'mon Rick, Sir, please," Kau'i said, hopeful, yearning. He needed Rick to be strong for him because he wasn't sure after the pain meds wore off and he let his mind think straight that he wouldn't go mad because of what had happened. "Please."

"Don't call me that," Rick scolded gently, pushing up from the bed. "Not yet, I can't accept that yet baby."

"You're blubbering like a goof and I'm still 'baby'," Kau'i managed to smile, tugging at him a little. "Come here you big idiot."

Usually Rick would make a snide remark about being called a goof and an idiot but he couldn't bring himself to slip into his usual role as the Dom of their relationship. Somehow now it just didn't feel right. He still went to his lover; leaned low as Kau'i pulled him closer, brushing the pads of his thumbs over his cheeks.

"If I have to call you Sir and Master a thousand times a day to make you accept it then I will," Kau'i informed him plainly. "You may not like it, you may deny it or run from it, but you can't hide from the truth of who you are, what you are, in there, in here."

Kau'i pressed a hand to Rick's chest and then placed it on his own.

"Nobody can take that away, not David and what he did to me," Kau'i told him. "I need you to be strong for me Rick; I need help to get through this. Please, please don't give up on me."

"Fuck Kau, I'm not giving up on you," Rick admonished as he sat on the bed, leaning over to look at his lover closely. "I'm just - I don't know that I can be all that you need me to be for you right now."

"I just need you to be there for me," Kau'i assured him. "Like you are now."

"Of course baby," Rick nodded vigorously as Kau'i's hand snaked desperately around his back to hold him close. "I'm not going anywhere."

He wrapped an arm around Kau'i tight, feeling him sag into the safety of his embrace. He kept hold of him as Kau'i gave in to the emotional turmoil the last several hours had been for him, shaking in his arms as he cried against his shoulder. Rick still felt helpless, but if all he could do was hold his partner and make him feel like everything would get better, eventually, then he'd do that. Rick soothed him with endearments until Kau'i's tears died down and his breathing slowed. Rick settled him down to the pillows but Kau'i wouldn't let him go far, fingers clasping tightly to his shirt.

"Stay, please," Kau'i begged in a croaky tone. "Don't go anywhere."

Rick settled by him, caressed his face and waited as Kau'i slipped back to sleep, worn out and sleepy with medication and the ordeal of the last day.


	3. Chapter 3

"Rick," Danny said quietly so as to not disturb Kau'i. Rick turned where he sat, sad, tired eyes looking at his friend. Danny swallowed down hard, seeing Rick so ruffled and out of his comfort zone unnerved him. Over their time knowing each other Danny had come to look at him as a mentor and seeing him so vulnerable and broken was hard to face. "We're going to go now. We've a few leads and we need to get some speed on this if we want to track down David. We'll be back to speak to Kau'i about what happened."

Rick nodded his head, eyes not quite focused as he looked back at Kau again. "If you need anything I'll be here."

"John's just arrived," Danny explained. "He's going to give us David's last known address. Rick, if there's anything you need -."

"Just find him," Rick said with a growl under his breath. "Tell him I got the message and I'm going to make him answer for it."

Danny stared at the man’s back, Rick bending over Kau'i and brushing fingers over his forehead, caressing his skin. Danny understood the hurt and anger, the retribution Rick needed. He just hoped in time, the need to get his own back would subside, perhaps as Kau'i began to recover and heal from what had gone on. Danny knew it was pointless to talk sense right now to Rick so he left quietly, hoping they would find this David and hoping when Rick found out he wouldn't do anything monumentally stupid.

~  
"Don't get cocky boy," Master told him, a sweeping caress of a gloved hand brushing over his chest. "All this time I've spent training you and you still show impatience."

"Sorry Master," David replied, bowing his head in regret. His arms stretched above him, held steady by heavy chains, the cold metal cuffs chafing his skin. He knew not to get arrogant, his Master was pleased with him and he didn't want to spoil the reward by disappointing him.

"You know all you need do now is wait," Master explained to him once more. "You're always so greedy. Show some pride in your achievement."

A smile curled onto his lips and he lifted his head again, looking to his Master who stood before him, a hand curled around his hip to keep him steady as the other wrapped around his cock.

"Tell me again," his Master encouraged with a warm smile, knowing how much he enjoyed telling the story. "What did he sound like?"

David gasped as his Master's hand twisted and stroked him, tight and steady.

"At first he struggled, and then he begged," David whispered out, his own passion making his breath sharp in his chest. "Then he broke."

"Did he cry for you?" Master asked, leaning in, lips brushing against his neck as David put his head back, hips pushing into his Master's hold, craving more.

"Yes," David whispered out, raspy and hoarse as he remembered. The pleas and the begging and the tears that soaked the blindfold and seeped out under its folds. "They looked so sweet."

~

Chin and Kono had been busy, looking over surveillance outside the house as well as inside. John had given them an old address of David's to start with and Danny and Steve headed straight there as Kono worked on trying to track his movements through the system.

"We're at the place now," Danny said over the phone. "Looks like it hasn't been lived in for a while."

They'd been through the house but it was abandoned, dust sheets covering the furniture and no sign of having been lived in. The yard was overgrown and it definitely had been abandoned for a long period of time.

"Well, he's been in the area a few weeks at least," Kono informed him. "I've got credit cards used in stores around the area as well as gas stations."

"We could get a hit on what car he's using," Danny thought aloud. "Kono, you and Chin go to the last station he was at. Pull their security tapes, see what you can find. Has he used his card to stay at any hotels in the area?"

"No," Kono replied. "Just the stores, and the most frequent activity was a little under two weeks ago in a local one."

"So we could assume he's staying with someone while he's back here," Danny continued thinking aloud. "Okay, call us when you get there. Me and Steve will head back to HQ and speak to John, see if he has any well-known friends or family in the area. Maybe he's visited someone."

~

John was unable to give them any more information. He sat miserably on the couch in Steve's office as they gently asked questions.

"It was a difficult break up for Rick, he was really crushed by it," John said, rolling a half full mug of coffee between his palms. "David left and that was the last I ever saw or heard of him. David instigated the break up and the things he told Rick, things he said, it left Rick in quite a state. The Rick Steadman you know wasn't the man David broke up with. It took Rick a long time to get over it and start trusting himself to get involved with other people. Until Kau'i came along, Rick didn't trust himself to be in a relationship, not after David. I just don't understand why David has done this, it doesn't make sense. He broke up with Rick, so it can't be jealousy. After all these years, it can't be that."

"Maybe he came to think he'd made a mistake," Danny thought aloud. "Then when he found out Rick had moved on, it became personal. He was in a relationship with Rick, he knows the kind of man he is and how protective he would have been about Kau'i. David attacked him in the most devastating way he knew how to. He could have stolen from him, damaged his property, he had every opportunity to do that at the house as well as hurt Kau'i but he didn't. He got into the house, tortured Kau and left him for Rick to find, touching nothing else. Until we bring him in, we won't understand his motivation. But a subs jealousy can be just as equal and possessive as a Doms and this was personal."

"I just can't believe David could do this," John shook his head. 

"You don't know anywhere he may be staying? Old friends, relatives? Anything we can go on?" Steve asked hopelessly. 

John shook his head with a shrug and Steve sat back in irritation. He hated it when they were grasping at loose ends, but David it seemed had gone to ground straight after the attack on Kau'i. He took in John, he was burned out and he had a haunted look on his face after what he had witnessed.

"Okay, you should go home and get some rest," Steve sighed, there was nothing more John could do and he needed to settle his mind. "If you can think of anything -,"

"I'll call, I promise," John said standing up wearily. 

Danny stood also and escorted him to the door with a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks," he said as John walked away.

He turned back to Steve with a grim expression but they had nothing to go on and they were still waiting for any leads Kono and Chin came up with from the sweep of the house. Danny was reluctant to admit he doubted they'd gain much from what he'd seen there.

~

Steve was silent as they drove home. Danny kept glancing his way but Steve had stubbornly set his jaw and refused to be drawn into conversation. They were both frustrated that David had apparently disappeared into thin air, no leads, nothing to go on. Meanwhile Kau'i continued to recover in hospital, Rick was in constant vigil by his bedside and John was hopefully resting at home. And apparently Steve didn't want to talk about the more personal situation of the case - Kau'i's attack and the vulnerable position he'd been put in, the evident attack upon him simply because he was Rick's partner and sub.

As a cop, Danny found the entire situation gross and sickening. As a Dom, it affected him on a more personal and emotional level. Seeing Kau'i trussed up as he had been, the torture inflicted on him, it angered Danny that someone had taken advantage like that. He could relate to how angry, bitter and hurt Rick was because he knew he'd feel the same. Not only had his partner been brutally attacked, but someone had dared to harm someone he was deeply possessive and protective over. This David knew how it would affect Rick on that emotional level as a Dom. Everything pointed to a personal vendetta.

Steve wouldn't be drawn from his silent mood and for once Danny was reluctant to push things. Usually he'd be able to coax Steve into a place where he could open up and talk but considering the nature of the case Danny didn't want to tip things in the wrong direction. He'd let Steve open up on his own, when he was ready, however long it took.

~

"Can we just, talk," John sighed. He was exhausted after the day, everything tumbling into one. He couldn't shake the vision of finding Kau'i, the way he was attached to the rack, alone and in pain. Frightened. Michael put a hand on his shoulder, a steady grip as he pulled him close.

"We can always talk," Michael assured him, drawing him into his arms. It was a tight, firm hold which John sank gratefully against. "But I think you need more sweetheart."

John became flustered, resistant as he tried to pull back but Michael wouldn't let go, staring at him with an intense gaze. "Don't resist it John. Trust me, I want to help you. You should let me."

"Not tonight Michael, please," John said, even as his fingers wrapped into the lapels of his lovers suit jacket. He was resistant but also flailing and desperate to latch onto something solid and safe. He felt himself giving in even as he argued weakly, “I can't tonight. I don't want too."

Michael pulled abruptly away, casting him a hurt look and slight flicker of annoyance. John felt his heart sink a little more. He was confused and tired and needed to be held and assured by his lover, by his Dom that everything was going to be okay.

"Michael," John said meekly, feeling his resolve dissolving as Michael turned away.

"Well if you don't want too," Michael replied solemnly, picking up his scotch glass, ice tinkling against the sides. "Then of course we won't. But you need to talk so talk."

John felt cold, he wanted to be held again and he could see he'd hurt his Dom's feelings in his refusal to submit. "It's not that I don't want too. That's not what I meant," John frowned, confused as he drew closer again, resting a hand on Michael's shoulder but Michael shrugged him off and pulled away before he could press even closer. "Please Michael, please. I need you right now."

"And I want to help baby but when you resist it makes it all the more harder for me to do that," Michael said in reply, turning to him and shaking his head. His look was one of disappointment and hurt. "You said you don't want to."

"I didn't -," John said shaking his head. He was confused, the day had taken its toll and he just needed to put it behind him. He sighed in resignation, shoulders slumping weakly as Michael waited for an answer. "I didn't mean it like that."

"So you lied?" Michael said pointedly.

"No," John shook his head, "No I'm just, confused."

"You're resisting me and you lied," Michael informed him, as if to help him clarify what was going on. John was too tired to argue and couldn't look him in the eye. Michael took pity on him, drawing close and putting an arm around him, resting John's lowered head against his shoulder. "You need to let me help you sweetheart. You know I can if you stop resisting. Look at you now, you’re desperate for help but you're pushing me away. Look at you, I hate seeing you like this, it's pathetic."

The words made John shudder with remorse. Michael was strict and demanding but through it, John had found, his submission had flourished with this man as his Dominant. Michael reminded him of Rick at times, always so self-assured and confident of his abilities as a Dom. He had high expectations and was severe in his punishments but John revelled in the submissive state it created for him.

"Please Michael, Sir" John leaned against him, hands gripping at his waist. "Please. I'm sorry."

"I know sweetheart," Michael whispered before pressing his mouth to the side of his neck. He slid his hands up John's back and one curled up into his hair, latching on to the soft dark brown tufts. He pulled John's head back sharply, a glint of dominant fierceness in his eyes. "First, discipline for your resistance and punishment for lying. Then you can talk as you need and allow me to help you as you know I can."

He pressed a harsh kiss to his subs mouth, controlling and insistent. John melted into his embrace, unresisting and desperate for the help his Dom offered him. He wanted Michael to hold him and kiss him until the fear and upset was pushed away but the kiss was ended too quickly and he gave a whimper at the loss of contact. 

"Go wait for me in the play room my boy," Michael told him, giving him a soft squeeze.

Reluctantly John left, body slumped in resignation. This wasn't what he'd wanted or planned for the evening. He'd hoped to have an early night where he could curl up with his Dom, safe and sound. But he submitted to his Dom's will, knowing he needed to be taken down.

~

"John?" Steve said with a frown as a strange voice answered the phone.

"No it's Michael," Michael replied, "Hello Steve."

"Oh hey, hi," Steve said in realisation. It made sense that John would have gone to his partner after his day. "Is John there?"

"No not right now," Michael replied. "It's been a stressful day for him as you can imagine. He told me what happened, it's a terrible thing."

"Yeah I know," Steve agreed, “It's been a shock for all of us."

"Of course it has," Michael replied. "Was it important that you speak with him right now? I could go and get him."

"No," Steve said quickly. "I just wanted to find out if he was okay but I'm sure you're taking good care of him."

"He's shaken up but yes, I'm taking care of him," Michael assured him. "It's just going to take some time."

"Yeah, it will," Steve nodded again. "Look I'll let you go. I'll call again in the morning to see how he's doing."

"Thanks Steve. I'll let him know you called."


	4. Chapter 4

John whimpered around his gag and strained his arms, the ache running through his shoulders and into his spine. Heavy chains kept his arms secured stretched up over his head, thick, metal cuffs wrapped snugly around his wrists. His knees shook and he strained to lock them, feet painful and weak as he stood on his toes, legs splayed apart over the 'wooden pony', a spreader bar preventing his movement further.

Michael had promised him he'd only have to endure his discipline an hour. He didn't know how long he'd been there but he begged silently for the hour to be up as his balls pressed down against the sharp bench. He shifted, whimpering and body rippling as his cock rubbed against the sharp groove also. Michael had an ironic purpose with this particular discipline. John had been resistant of his Master, but now, in his submission, he had to resist the ache and tiredness in his legs and keep himself upright or suffer the painful consequence of 'riding the pony'.

Across the room the door opened once more and Michael entered, John groaned as he shifted his weight, earning a reproachful look from his Master. Michael closed the door behind him and walked over to inspect his efforts. He trailed a hand down his subs body and toyed with his cock, pinching him playfully in the side with his other hand. John rocked and moaned out a whimper past the gag, Michael steadying him with a hand on his hip.

"All right sweetheart," Michael whispered to him. "A little longer, that's all. Just think if you had submitted right away, then you wouldn't be in this predicament right now would you?"

His Dom pulled away, going to a chair that was set up against the opposite wall and sat down, staring over at his sub intently. John looked back before closing his eyes, concentrating on not moving. Anything to not move and have this over with. He tried not to feel pity for himself, Michael was right, he could have prevented this if he'd not resisted.

"Open your eyes and look at me pet," Michael demanded from across the room. "You will keep your eyes focused on me until I release you."

~

"You speak to John?" Danny asked as Steve wandered back in from the kitchen.

"No, Michael," Steve replied absently, going to the window and staring out. The sky was inky black, speckled with bright pricks of light from the stars. He wondered how Kau'i and Rick were. He hoped Kau'i could get over the ordeal he'd been through. Steve understood what it was like to be tied up and tortured but this had shaken him on a more personal level.

He and Danny had been careful about people knowing the lifestyle side of their relationship. They'd been toying with the idea of trying, in some way, to explain it to Chin and Kono. But what had happened to Kau'i had given the entire subject a sinister side and Steve found himself questioning what that implied. He wasn't sure why but he felt disconnected from that submissive side, like finding Kau'i as they had, in a place that had readily supplied ample ammunition for his torture, had somehow made it all wrong. He wasn't sure how to deal with that or how to voice it to Danny. But he knew for the time being, as they worked this case, that he couldn't bring himself to submit in any way. It worried him that he didn't feel bad about that or guilty, like it weren't important when even that morning it had been.

"Babe?" Danny asked from the couch and Steve realised he'd been talking to him and had asked him something. He frowned and shook his head to clear his mind, he needed space. It wasn't Danny, but he just needed time alone and Danny had simply become background noise as he tried to think, or not think.

"I'm going to bed," Steve said turning slowly.

It wasn't until he reached the stairs that he realised he hadn't asked Danny to repeat what he'd asked him or given any answer. And Danny wasn't following him up either. At the curve of the stairwell he paused and looked down over the room, catching Danny following his retreat. For all that he wasn't acting himself Danny gave him a warm smile even so.

"I'll be up later," Danny told him.

Steve gave a small nod and continued upstairs. Danny watched him disappear before looking back at the TV. He muted it, uncaring of whatever the news report was trying to inform him of. He figured Steve wanted space and though he itched to follow him upstairs to their bedroom he forced himself to stay on the couch.

~

Rick listened as John's cell went to voice mail after a number of rings. Sighing he waited for the message to talk through, "John, I just wanted to call to see how you were. I think we should talk about what's happened, when you’re ready pet. I hope you're okay, call me back please."

He was outside the hospital and went back to the waiting area as the nurses checked over Kau'i. Rick refused to go home. What if Kau'i needed him when he woke up? He was worried about John also. They'd not had a chance to talk and John had made a brief visit to the hospital, looking worn out and seemed in a state of shock over what had happened. He'd promised Rick he'd go home and rest.

He just hoped he wasn't alone and mentally kicked himself for not calling Michael. John surely would have gone to his partner after his day. Rick made a note to get in touch with Michael as soon as he could to assure himself John was okay.

~

John watched as Michael checked his watch, relieved as his Dom stood and walked over to him. Michael pressed a kiss to his temple as he stood at his side.

"Good boy," Michael said, rubbing his belly with his hand. "Stay still pet, I'm going to lower the pony now."

John sucked in a breath past the gag as the 'pony' was lowered, feeling the sides grazing against his stretched thighs. He dared to lower himself onto his feet, though the movement made his shoulders and arms stretch but he no longer had the sharpness of the beam to contend with torturing his cock and balls. He glanced to the side, wondering where Michael had moved to, hoping to be untied. He couldn't see him and waited, shifting a little freer now without the pony preventing his movements.

"Now sweetheart for your punishment," Michael informed him, coming back to his side. "You know how I feel about lying. I'm going to remove the gag but the only words I want to hear from those sweet lips of yours are ones of thanks. You will also promise me with each application of my preferred method of punishment not to lie to me again. It won't end until I'm satisfied you are sincere in this promise and have learned your lesson. Understand pet?"

John shivered miserably but nodded his head as Michael removed his gag, "Yes Sir," he replied nervously.

~

"You should go home, get some rest," Kau'i said, getting Rick's attention. He was slouched down in the chair by the bed, trying to follow an article in a magazine but his mind wouldn't take in the words.

Rick sat up straighter with a smile seeing Kau'i awake and placed the magazine aside as he stood up and sat on the bed instead, taking Kau'i's hand.

"I'm not going anywhere," Rick informed him. "How you feeling?"

Kau'i gave a weak smile, "They must be giving me some pretty strong meds because I feel like I'm on a high right now. Floating."

Rick tried for a smile but it didn't last, eyes constantly roving over Kau'i's face as if searching for any sign of distress or fear.

"Rick," Kau'i admonished lightly, reading his thoughts. "I'm going to be okay. I'm safe now."

"I'm going to book us into a hotel when they discharge you," Rick informed him. "For a few days, whilst you still recover."

"You don't have to," Kau shook his head but Rick wouldn't be swayed on the subject.

"Yes I do," Rick retorted. "I can't take you back there Kau. Not straight away."

“‘Back there'?" Kau replied, pulling his hand out of Rick's grip and instead running his fingers over his face. “‘Back there' is home Richard."

"Just indulge me on this baby okay? Please?" Rick said, because he couldn't stomach going home alone and he really couldn't stomach taking Kau'i back to the house.

"Maybe you should book a room now," Kau'i said gently. "You look like hell."

"Why? You keen to get rid of me?" Rick teased, but he felt a thrum of fear shiver through him. Maybe Kau'i really wanted him gone.

"I'm not," Kau'i assured him. "But I need you to take care of yourself. I'm okay here; the nurses are taking good care of me. You need to rest."

"I'll sleep in the chair," Rick informed him. "It's comfy."

"Rick," Kau'i tried again but Rick shook his head firmly, looking him in the eye and Kau'i knew not to argue when Rick looked at him that way.

"I'm staying," Rick told him, taking his hand back into his and dropping his gaze and lowered his voice. "What if he comes back again?"

Kau'i didn't reply, but his fingers instinctively held on tighter as Rick said the words. Though he hated Rick blaming himself for what had happened, seeing him so tired and broken, he needed him close. Because the idea of David returning was too difficult and painful to contemplate alone. He couldn't deny that the fear David would return had already crossed his mind.

~

"Thank you Master. I promise I won't lie to you ever again."

The words were sobbed out now, John had long given up trying to hold himself up, sagging in his chains, tired, aching and in pain. Another flick of the tails and his back burned sharper from the leather.

"Thank you Master. I promise I won't lie to you ever again. I promise, I promise."

He let out a whimpering cry as the paddle was applied once more. Michael had been switching between the two throughout his punishment. He rocked onto the balls of his feet and back onto his heels. 

"Thank you Master. I promise I won't lie to you ever again. I won't lie again. I promise I won't."

He didn't know how long Michael had made him endure his punishment, only that his Master didn't seem to believe he was sincere. At first he'd accepted his lashes with humility but Michael hadn't ever wanted him to hold back on his reactions. More often than not, his Master was only satisfied when he broke down and it hadn't taken long before he'd begun crying. From the pain and also from the anguish that he'd disappointed Michael so much that he felt this degree of punishment necessary.

"Thank you Master, I promise I won't lie to you ever again. Please, please, I won't lie again. I won't. I'm sorry."

"What was that pet?" Michael demanded, walking up to him, fingers gentle on his pained flesh of his back.

It took John a moment to catch his breath, blinking through the blur of tears as he caught his breath.

"I'm sorry," John repeated earnestly. "I promise I won't lie again Michael. I won't, I couldn't grieve you this badly again. I'm sorry I lied, I am truly. Please, please."

Michael smiled softly at him, a hand coming up to grasp into his hair and holding on firmly as he looked into his eyes. 

"All right pet, it's over now," Michael assured him. "You'll spend time in your corner to reflect and then we'll talk okay?"

"Yes," John replied with relief, standing straighter again. "Yes, thank you Master, thank you."

John pulled away, leaning down to untie the spreader bar and cuffs from his ankles. John stood on shaky knees as Michael lowered his arms enough to untie his hands.

"Easy now," Michael told him as John whimpered, lowering his arms, they were sore and ached painfully. Michael put an arm about his waist and John moaned softly as Michaels sleeve teased irritably against his skin which felt as if it were on fire. Michael ignored his moans as he eased him from the pony towards the corner. "On your knees sweetheart."

John dropped to his knees with a wince and Michael stood watching him for a minute or two before nudging him with a foot.

"Into your reflective position," Michael ordered strictly.

With aching limbs, John shifted, straightening his back, ankles together under his ass, knees spread wide apart. He dropped his hands to his sides and stared straight ahead at the corner of the wall. Everything would be all right now; Michael would take care of him as he needed.

~

Danny climbed the stairs tiredly. He'd dozed off on the couch, earning himself a crick in the neck. Usually Steve would have moved him to save him the discomfort and Danny was disappointed to find it had been a few hours since Steve had went to bed alone. The bedroom was bathed in darkness and he used the guest bathroom so as not to disturb his partner before stripping down and climbing into bed beside him. 

Steve was on his side, turned away from him and though Danny wanted to sidle up close and hold him as he fell asleep he remained on his own side of the bed. Something held him back from getting close and he lay on his back, hoping he'd fall asleep quickly. He was surprised when Steve turned over, closing the gap between them as he curled close, head on Danny's chest, arm slung over his stomach.

"It's late, you fall asleep on the couch?" he asked sleepily.

"Yeah," Danny replied quietly, resting his arm around his lover’s shoulders.

"Thought so," Steve mumbled, "You okay?"

Danny pressed his lips together, reluctant to be honest with where his mind had been as he thought about Rick and David. But he owed it to Steve to be honest.

"I've been thinking about Joel," he said quietly. Steve didn't reply but he felt him tense a little where he lay against him. Danny smoothed his hand down over his back slowly, a gentle assuredness that he had no concern to be jealous or worried. "I mean about our break up compared to Rick and David's. I'm not saying it was easy but it wasn't as painful as what Rick obviously went through."

He could remember little things about that night, mustering up the courage to tell Joel he was leaving had been the hardest part. They'd been close to a turning point in the relationship, only a few days before Rachel had told him she was moving to Hawaii Danny had bought a collar and was making plans to give it to Joel. His commitment to his lover had dissolved with Rachel's news and the need to be with Grace. Danny had borne the weight of guilt of that truth for months after the break up. Joel understood but it had been painfully difficult to end everything. But there hadn't been anger, hurt or accusations like Rick and David.

"Do you ever miss him?" Steve asked quietly. Danny had spoken little of Joel and Steve had never asked much about him.

"It isn't that I miss him," Danny replied honestly. "I just wonder how he is at times. I hope he's as happy as I am; that he's found someone else like I have."

~

"But Master-," David began, silenced by the piercing stare of his Dom.

"We agreed," his Master told him. "It's for your own protection. Do you want to get caught?"

"No Sir," David shook his head. 

"Then you will leave tonight," his Master ordered, taking pity on his boy and pulling him close and petting him. "You know I don't wish to send you away so soon after having you back again. I should have sent you away immediately after you carried out your plans but I allowed my weakness for you to cloud my judgement. It won't be for long, I promise."

"I want to see him break," David lamented against his shoulder.

"Then you should have stayed to see him find his pet tied to the rack you placed him on," Master informed him coolly. "That would have been his breaking point. All there will be now is him desperately trying to hold the pieces together, even when they crumble in his fingers."


	5. Chapter 5

"Rick, hey," John said as he answered the phone. After the intense evening before he'd woken up with some aches, exhausted but satisfied. Michael had left for work early and he'd been having a lazy morning not doing much. He noted that he'd received a few missed calls from Rick the evening before as well as some messages of concern and support.

"Hi," Rick said and John could hear the tiredness in his voice. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course," John replied with a frown.

"I tried calling yesterday a few times but you never answered," Rick explained.

"Yeah, Michael and I -," John began before trailing off, not wanting to go into detail. "I'm fine Rick. I'm staying at Michael's for a few days."

"Good, that's good," Rick assured him. "Look Kau wants me to get out of here for a few hours before I drive him crazy. Do you mind if I come over? We need to clear my schedule for the next few days."

"Of course not," John told him, telling him of the address. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, great," Rick told him. "Bye."

He arrived at the house not long after and John showed him around.

"It's a nice place," Rick smiled with a small nod. John smiled and ducked his head, Rick understood how important his opinion mattered but he felt slightly strange that John was so eager of his approval. Having seen John and Michael together, seeing how happy his friend was, Rick was glad John had found someone to explore the lifestyle with on a more permanent basis.

"And through here," John said, pulling him along the hall. "Is the playroom."

He opened the door and ushered Rick inside. It was panelled in dark wood, the floor a polished mahogany and thick rugs of red. The equipment itself varied and Rick took a wander around the room to inspect the pieces with a professional eye. He was surprised, most of the equipment leaned towards S&M and John had never been heavily into that side of the lifestyle. He came to a halt in front of a 'wooden pony' and stared, eyeing it and taking in the chains hanging from above, the spreader bar that lay propped against it.

Rick ran fingers along the pointed beam at his fingertips, heightened to just above his waist height.

"So, has he -," Rick began, glancing at John who was watching him nervously. Rick paused, unsure how much he should ask. 

John was his friend and he cared about him, but his relationship with his Dom was his business and just because he and John had played together over the years didn't give him the right to pry. But it disturbed him and made him uncomfortable to think of John being made to endure a session on the 'pony'. It just seemed altogether set apart from his comfort zone and limits. However he told himself not to question unless John brought up the subject and stepped away from the 'pony' and instead turned with a smile to his friend.

"You’re happy aren't you John?" Rick asked him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "With Michael. You are happy with him?"

"Yes, of course I am," John nodded in reply, a shaky smile on his lips.

"Good," Rick nodded, sliding an arm around his shoulders and guiding them both out of the playroom. "I just like to be sure. You know me, the overprotective one. After what has happened with Kau'i, I want to make sure you're okay. If Michael is providing you with what help you need."

"He is Rick," John told him. "What happened with Kau'i has shaken all of us up. But we're good, he's helping."

"That's good," Rick nodded and they headed towards the main living area. "You know if you need to talk about it, or anything, you can always come to me."

"I know that Rick," John assured him. "But aren't you the one who needs to talk? Especially after what's happened with Kau."

Rick sat down and sighed, shaking his head when John asked if he wanted a drink. "I will need to talk, eventually. I just need to think things out first. I just want him home and that should be tomorrow. But I think it's going to be difficult, taking him back to the house. I may book us into a hotel or something for the next few days."

"You need me to sort that for you?" John asked, sitting opposite him.

"No, no," Rick shook his head. "I'll sort something. We do need to clear my schedule for the next week or so. I'm not in the right frame of mind to be doing business. Can I ask you to cancel whatever sessions that are booked? I was going to give Hani Hale a call, see if she minded taking on some of the clients, the people she's worked with before."

"I've cleared the next few days already," John replied, picking up his cell and scrolling through the appointments section. "But if you're calling Hani, I can wait before I clear the rest of the week and advise people to call her if she's willing to take a few clients until your back on track."

"Sounds like a plan," Rick agreed, pulling out his phone to call her. He stood and wandered over to the window as he waited for it to connect.

"Hi," Michael's voice interrupted them. Rick turned a little and smiled over at him before Hani answered her cell and prevented any further greeting.

"Hi," John said, standing as Michael approached, a pleased look on his face. "I thought you were working all day."

"Decided to have an early finish," Michael shrugged, giving him a quick kiss. "Thought we could enjoy the afternoon together."

"Rick and I needed to get some business sorted out," John explained as Michael looked over at Rick. "He needed to get out of the hospital for a while; I've given him a tour."

"Oh?" Michael questioned, looking sharply back at him. "You showed him around?"

"Yeah," John nodded, detecting a tension in Michael's body as he drew away from him. "I thought it would be okay."

Michael didn't reply and instead smiled politely as Rick finished his call and looking to them. 

"Rick, it's good to see you," Michael said, leaving John's side and going to him with an outstretched hand. "How's Kau'i?"

"Making a full recovery," Rick replied, shaking his hand. "Doctor says I can bring him home tomorrow."

"Good, that's good," Michael nodded with a note of relief. "And how are you?"

"I'll be fine," Rick admitted, not wanting to be drawn on the subject of his own feelings about the situation. "John, Hani says she'd be happy to help any way she can. You know the clients who've been to her before; can you make sure they have her details?"

"Yeah, sure of course," John nodded over to him.

Rick looked at his watch. He'd been in the habit of doing that the last few days counting the hours and minutes since he'd last seen Kau'i or been away from the hospital. He looked up with a grim smile and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm going to head back to the hospital," he sighed. "Thanks John, for everything. You know I appreciate it."

"Of course I do," John assured him and they walked through the house for the front door. "Call me later, if you need me to come over to the house or to the hospital let me know."

Rick turned and pulled him into a firm hug. He didn't miss the flinch and tension in John's body as he put a tight hold around his back, the way John's breath escaped his lips with a sharp hitch, like it were painful. But John hugged him back without a word, though Rick searched his face when he pulled away. John avoided his eyes and said goodbye and Rick was acutely aware how closely Michael was watching the brief but tender exchange.

"Thanks John, I will call," Rick said, leaning in a moment as he opened the front door, keeping his voice to a low pitch. "And you call me if you need to talk about anything."

John looked curiously at him, giving a small nod of his head as he left. Rick couldn't help but feel there was something uncomfortable going on between Michael and John. His professional experience told him that though they seemed to be quite happy together that it wasn't as good a match as it seemed at face value. Though he'd been on the phone to Hani he hadn't missed the exchange between the two men or the look Michael had given John when he'd said he'd shown Rick around. Rick wondered if it were because of the playroom.

It was a remarkable room in its own right and one of the cells of the S&M section had been fitted with a 'wooden pony' as well as equipment and toys to accompany it. But it just didn't sit right with him that John would be subjected to sessions on it, as well as becoming intimately accustomed to the other equipment also. And when Rick had hugged him, John had tensed as if he was hurting and Rick wondered if that hurt had been inflicted within that playroom also.

As he drove to the hospital he tried not to judge, he knew it was a failing of his. He held high expectations for the lifestyle and he could at times be unfair on Dominants when he didn't agree with their methods. At times he was right but he was also wrong to judge on occasion. But he'd been in the profession long enough to see and understand warning signs when they were there. He was beginning to become uncomfortable with John's relationship with Michael.

John thrived under a more restrictive, possessive and strict Dom there was no denying. Rick understood that and had provided such attention on occasion over the years when they had played. It hadn't been often but at times they'd just wanted to have some fun and relieve some stress and tension. Once or twice, John had asked him for a session for his own personal reasons and Rick had always obliged, until his relationship with Kau'i had deepened. But whilst John revelled under a strict, demanding Dominant, he also needed to be gentled through a scene. Pain had never been a huge factor in terms of his submission, yet from the beginning of his relationship with Michael, it had suddenly become a seemingly prime part of their relationship. Rick remembered his anger finding out John had played in the 'chains and whips' cell of the house without his knowing about it. He also remembered his complete surprise in learning John had allowed himself to be subjected to the use of the instruments.

Rick sighed, pulling into the hospital car park and headed into the building, thoughts jumping forward to his partner as he walked through the corridors. Kau'i would probably tease him for being possessive and protective or perhaps even a little jealous that John had met someone. Not that Rick would bring up the subject, not now, not yet. He wasn't sure how things were going to go in the next few weeks but he'd decided to just feel Kau'i out in terms of their relationship for the next few weeks. Rick didn't want to tip the situation in the wrong direction and fuck everything up, scared to lose his partner if he messed up. For now he wasn't a Dom, he was just a man in love, desperately hoping his lover would recover from their traumatic ordeal without too much scarring, physically, mentally and emotionally.

~

"You showed him the playroom?" Michael demanded as John re-joined him in the living room.

"Yes," John said meekly, seeing the look in Michael's eyes and dropping his gaze to the floor.

"What did he have to say?" Michael asked, coming to stand before him.

"He liked it, said it was nice," John shrugged, not understanding why Michael was so upset about it. "What else would he say?"

Michael reached out and cupped his face with a hand, pulling him up to face him gently. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's just our personal space pet, yours and mine. Look I know how important Rick is to you, how close you are. But it's our space sweetheart, our special place where we can be ourselves. When you invite other people in, I just get a little jealous, especially if it's someone like Richard Steadman."

"You're jealous of Rick?" John asked in surprise.

"Do you blame me?" Michael gave a laugh. "It's Richard fucking Steadman. Anyone who's serious in the lifestyle around here is in awe of him, he's a Master Dom. And I know you've played with him over the years; don't you think I get jealous of that fact and of any other Dom who got to play with you?"

"Well yeah I guess," John shrugged with a shy smile. "It's just, I see him as Rick, my friend. I just wanted to show him the playroom because it's part of who we are and he would understand and appreciate how beautiful it is."

"Even more beautiful when you're decorating one of my pieces," Michael smiled, pulling him closer and closing the gap between them with a searing kiss. "Did he ask you anything? About what we do in there?"

"I think he wanted to but he didn't," John replied, sucking in a breath as Michael drew back, making him rock on his toes.

"Good," Michael nodded in approval. "Because how I treat my pet is my business, nobody else’s."

"Which is why he didn't ask," John told him, pulling out of his arms with a smile.

"Where are you going?" Michael asked with a possessive look in his eye. "I came home early because I want to spend the afternoon with you."

"I've got to make those calls for Rick," John informed him. "It won't take long."

"Okay, but be quick sweetheart," Michael said as John picked up his cell. "We've our own business to attend too."


	6. Chapter 6

When Rick arrived back at the hospital, Steve and Danny were waiting for him.

"We need to get a statement from Kau," Danny explained. "He said he'd like you to be present while he tells us what happened."

"All right," Rick nodded, feeling a little sick at the idea of hearing Kau'i side of the story. But he needed to be strong for him.

Danny put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll take it easy."

Kau'i was sitting up when they entered his room, looking tired and washed out. But he gave a small smile as they arrived, Rick going to sit by him as Danny and Steve hovered by the bed.

"We'll go slowly okay," Danny assured him. "Just start from the beginning. We can stop and start as you need."

"Okay," Kau'i nodded in agreement. He tried to think as a lawyer, when he took on a high profile case and he needed a client to tell him their story, despite how difficult and painful it could. Just a bit at a time, that's all he needed to do, slowly and methodically. He dragged in a breath and felt fingers grasp tightly onto his, glancing to his side he found Rick giving him a look of encouragement. "I've just finished fighting a high profile case in court; it's been a stressful couple of weeks. But I was ahead of myself with what paperwork there was to do to finish off and decided to take a half day, spend some time with Rick. We haven't spent that much time together because of our workloads, so I figured take the chance while we could."

He paused but nobody spoke, his audience patient as he explained himself.

"I knew Rick and John were having a late lunch and sorting out business," Kau'i continued. "So I said I'd see Rick at home. I got to the house at about eleven thirty but there was no-one home. I made a coffee, checked my post before going upstairs."

He looked at Rick, giving a grim smile. "I was going to shower and wait for Rick to arrive."

Rick squeezed his fingers again, inwardly berating himself for not being there. He and John could have stayed at the house to sort business but they'd decided to go out for lunch. He hadn't expected Kau'i home so soon or he would have waited. Why hadn't he waited?

"What happened next Kau?" Danny prompted as Kau'i paused again, thinking back over the nightmare that had begun.

"I was in the bedroom, undressing," Kau continued. "He was already waiting in there for me."

"Did he talk to you?" Steve asked him.

"He took me by surprise, came up behind me," Kau'i explained. "He had a gun; he pressed it against my neck and told me not to turn around. I tried to get a glimpse of him in the mirror but he was at an angle and I couldn't get a look. He told me to keep undressing. I asked him what he wanted, I thought he wanted money or something but he just dug the gun into my neck and told me to undress or he'd shoot me. I did as he said. When I'd stripped down he tied my hands behind my back and blindfolded me."

"Did you consider fighting back at any time?" Steve asked, Danny glanced over to him with a raised brow. It seemed a cold thing to say considering Kau'i's story so far.

"I considered it, but he had a gun against my head," Kau'i replied with slight indignation, looking up at him.

"But you considered it," Rick assured him. He knew why Steve asked, because it reminded Kau'i that though he'd complied with David's demands, he had done it under duress.

Kau'i looked back at him and gave a small nod, licking his lips, his mouth had gone dry and his throat felt tight. He turned and reached for his water, Rick following the movement and passing it to him, their fingers brushing where they connected. Kau'i drank back a mouthful before sucking in another deep breath.

"Did he do or say anything to you in the bedroom or did he take you straight to the cells?" Danny asked to keep him going.

"We went straight to the cells," Kau'i nodded. "He put a hand on my shoulder; he was wearing leather gloves I think. He still had the gun pressed against me as well. We went slowly because I couldn't see obviously but eventually we reached the room."

"And was he talking to you as you went? Did you speak to him?" Danny asked, curious as to David's motivations.

"No, he only spoke to give orders, like putting my hands behind me, making me walk. But up until the cell he didn't say anything else," Kau'i shook his head. 

"And in the cell?" Steve asked.

"I just had a feeling things were going to get bad," Kau'i said shakily. "So I tried talking to him. Like I thought I could persuade him out of whatever he had planned. He hit me on the head with the gun, not too heavily, but enough to shut me up when he told me to, it left me a little dazed. He undid my hands and turned me around; I tried to struggle with him then, briefly. But the hit had left me dizzy and he just grabbed me by the hair, held the gun to my face and told me to behave."

Kau'i paused and looked at Rick with desperation in his eyes and the words caught in his throat, "I didn't know what else to do so I did."

Rick reached over and brushed a thumb gently over his cheek in an effort to comfort him. There was silence as Kau stopped again, took another drink as he remembered what had happened in the cell, continuing his story.  
...

_The fingers tightened into his hair, so tight it made his eyes water behind the blindfold. Tears seeping through his closed lids and were soaked up by the thick material. The metal of the gun pressed against his cheek, stroking with a dangerous pressure._

_"Now, are you going to behave boy?" the man asked him._

_"Yes," Kau'i replied weakly, desperately thinking of how to escape._

_He was dragged by the hair sideways, finding himself pressed against cold wood._

_"Sit," his attacker ordered and he struggled to comply._

_Once sitting he was pushed to lie down. His mind raced as he realised he was on a cross rack, hands moving him to stretch out his arms and legs._

_'Fuck,' he thought, panic rising in him. 'Fuck, shit, shit.'_

_Cuffs wrapped around his wrists and he groaned out in the haze of pain as a headache pounded around his head from where he'd been struck._

_"Please," he whispered, unsure where this was going but certain things would get much worse. "Please don't do this."_

_A gloved hand slapped his face, forcing his head to the side as he was silenced, making him feel dizzier._

_"Did I give you permission to speak boy?" the man asked him, calm and collected. "Another word and you'll be gagged with the muzzle of the gun."_

_Kau'i licked his lip, it had split from the slap and the taste of copper filled his mouth from the blood. He remained silent and tense, straps securely wrapping around his upper arms to keep him in place. His legs were also restrained and the thick, heavy brace wrapped over his neck, then suddenly he was moving, the rack swung upwards easily on its axis. His head spun and he felt bile in his throat which he swallowed down as he listened to the grind of metal as the locks were set on the hinges to keep the rack upright._

_"Well now pet, look at you," the man said and Kau'i wanted so very much to wrench himself from the apparatus and pound his fists into his face. "A perfect canvas for me to decorate. He must love playing with you."_

_A gloved caress touched his neck, travelling directly down over his chest and stomach to his cock. Kau'i struggled but he was held too tight by the bondage and his struggle was in vain._

_"Yes pet, struggle," his attacker teased. "You look so pretty. You're going to struggle for me, resist me. You're going to writhe and moan and cry before you break. Will you do that for me?"_

_Kau'i pressed his lips together; he needed to stay strong for this. Rick and John would be home soon, they'd find him. He just needed to wait for them; Rick would make this all go away. Fingers wrapped around his cock and he tensed, groaning as they tightened, painfully squeezing before they grabbed his balls and pulled hard. He opened his mouth and gasped in pain when it became too much._

_"I asked you a question boy," he was told. "Answer me."_

_Kau'i stuck out his chin to the fucker, rested his head back and resisted as much as he could between the pain and aches, in his head, in his groin. "Fuck you."_

_He earned himself another slap for the reply, but at least the guy had stopped torturing his cock._

_"Perhaps later," his abuser said after a moment. "But first punishment for your behaviour. Such bad manners and a potty mouth on a boy. Your Master has failed to keep you in check I can see. We'll rectify that quick enough."_

_He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, still feeling dizzy and sickly from the hit on the head and the swinging of the rack. He tested his bonds again carefully but the rack was designed to immobilise. He felt a sinking feeling in the deep of his stomach, they were in the S &M room, and he knew it. One equipped with plenty of instruments. It was rarely used because Rick was so strict with his rules, keen to ensure safety was priority. The only times Kau'i ever entered it was when Rick had asked him on occasion to check the medical kits kept in the rooms._

_He strained his ears, hearing movement, the clinking of metal, a door being opened. He could do nothing but wait and hope Rick and John would come home soon, and when they did, that they'd come looking for him. Nobody knew he was home yet, fuck what if they didn't find him?_

_A blow to his stomach forcibly drew the breath from his body as he gasped in pain. It wasn't as if he hadn't been flogged before but the tails of this particular whip burned into his skin. He choked on a groan of pain and they landed again, a few stray tails lashing over his cock also. He writhed in his bonds, desperate to free himself and the tails licked at his skin once more._

....

"Sssh, all right baby," Rick held him close as he sucked in deep breaths, suddenly overwhelmed by the memory. He twisted his fingers into Rick's shirt, holding on like he was an anchor. It was over now, it was all over, but it had happened. He could still feel the sting of the whip on his skin, David's enjoyment as he laughed at his struggles, urging him on in his desperation to free himself.

"Okay Kau, we'll stop for now," Danny assured him, putting a hand on Rick's shoulder to get his attention. "We'll give you two a few minutes."

He turned to find Steve staring at Kau'i being cradled in Rick's arms as he calmed him. Danny was finding it hard to read his partner and his reactions to the case. Sometimes these things came too close to home. Danny ushered him out of the room and Steve stalked ahead of him to the waiting lounge, throwing himself into a chair. Danny sat by him silently.

"Want to talk about it?" Danny asked after a long pause.

"About what?" Steve shot back at him. "Kau'i was tied to a rack, tortured and left to wait for someone to find him for who knows how fucking long. And all we have to go on is a face, a name. We're coming up empty here, this guy has disappeared without a trace and there's nothing we can fucking do about it Danny."

"Steve," Danny tried to calm him, a hand on his arm but Steve pulled abruptly away, pushing to his feet.

"I'm gonna call Chin, see if he has anything for us," Steve shot back coldly, not waiting for a reply before he walked away.

Danny sat silently, watching nurses and doctors milling through the corridors, patients wandering as they stretched their legs, seeking out something to break the boredom. He waited for some time for Steve to return, mind whirring over what Kau had told them so far, feeling guilty for making him relive what had happened. It was necessary to get the facts right, the story straight, especially when they did find David. And they would find him, Danny swore to himself they would, not only as a cop but as a friend. He knew it was dangerous to let it become personal, but they were too deep into it now.

~

Steve looked down at his phone blankly. He'd said he was going to call Chin but instead he strolled out of the main doors and breathed in fresh air. He cleared the entrance and leaned against a nearby wall, taking in the activity of people coming to and fro, visitors, patients, doctors and nurses. They'd gotten a lead on the car David had used via the security footage of the gas station, but the thread had quickly broken when they tracked it to a rental garage on the other side of the city. He'd only had it a few days, paid in cash and that had been before the attack. That was the last he'd been seen via security footage until he'd turned up at Rick's.

It merely backed up the theory that he wasn't working alone. He'd been staying with someone whilst waiting for his chance to carry out whatever this attack was about. Revenge? Justice? Some morbid, unsavoury obsession with Rick? Now they were trying to go backwards, follow a trail to wherever he'd been the last few years. Only his name didn't show up on any records, once he'd left as Rick said he had, he seemed to disappear without a trace. Sold his car, closed up the house and gone within days never to be heard of again. The guy was a phantom, haunting his ex after some time of nonexistence.

It didn't make much sense. Why now? Furthermore, simply why? That was what frustrated Steve the most, not knowing or understanding David's motivation. He could in some way understand if David was a jilted lover, but he had instigated the breakup of the relationship. He couldn't quite get behind Danny's jealousy theory - was this all connected to David being Rick's sub? Did the ties really run that deep between a Dom and sub, even after so long and with so much hurt?

Although he was becoming more and more comfortable with their relationship as Dominant and submissive, Steve was still exploring the feelings and emotions that evolved from such a relationship. He could be jealous of Danny, but that was natural between lovers. And yes, he admitted, as a sub, he could become jealous if, when at a party, Danny gave someone his mild attention just to be friendly. That jealousy could be strong, but he couldn't believe it was a driving force for David's motivations in attacking Kau'i as he had.

Steve thought over his relationship with Danny, they'd taken things slow but it had felt so natural to explore his submissive side with Danny, something he'd not dared do with anyone else. Not really. His experiences with Rick had been different, more a 'business' matter than a relationship. But this situation with Kau'i, the hurt and pain that could be inflicted because of the scene, seeing Kau'i trussed up and tortured with instruments designed to maximise a person’s pleasures within a controlled environment. That had him asking questions about that side of him that he'd eagerly been exploring with Danny. For the moment, he found himself putting up a barrier to his submission, maybe after the case was wrapped up he'd deal with things, but until then, he just couldn't bring himself to indulge that part of him. He just hoped Danny would understand.

~

Danny watched Steve walk back along the corridor towards him and stood, searching his face. Steve looked back coolly, nodding his head towards Kau'i's room.

"We should go back in," Steve said, pausing before he got too near.

Danny merely nodded. They always tried to keep their work and private life separate and at work, Steve was the one who gave the orders. Danny sensed Steve needed the control right now and told himself that whatever was going on personally, they'd deal with it at an appropriate time. But right now, Steve was in work mode and Danny followed accordingly.

Steve tapped on the door lightly before going in, Kau'i and Rick sat quietly and Kau'i smiled bravely seeing the two of them.

"You okay?" Steve asked nearing the bed. "Think you can continue?"

Kau'i gave a shaky nod, holding tight to Rick's hand. Danny leaned on the wall by the door as Steve sat by the bed opposite Rick.

"I don't know how many times he flogged me," Kau'i shrugged, picking up where he'd left off. "Got to the point where it didn't sting anymore because it was just constant pain. I struggled at first, I cried out because of it and then I just - I couldn't escape from it, and I just gave up trying. When it was over it felt like my stomach was on fire, it wasn't so much painful as it was aching and bright heat everywhere."

Kau'i paused and gave a wry smile, a hollow laugh. "You know the way your ass feels after a damn severe spanking."

Nobody replied and Steve refused to let his thoughts wander to the idea, fought down the memories of such knowing. He pushed aside the voice in his head saying 'four days ago, over Danny's knee in the bedroom' - he couldn't remember the reason now. Usually the after effects would last a while, at least mentally but right now, things that had happened naturally four days ago, seemed removed and strange. He felt disconnected from that side of himself that was usually so easy to slip into these days.

"What happened next?" he asked, moving the subject along. He tried for gentle coaxing and hoped he didn't sound as cold as he was beginning to feel. Like when he'd carried out missions with the SEAL's, focused and driven, don't let anything or anyone slow you down or hold you back from doing your job.

"He put the clamps on and the cock ring," Kau'i replied slowly. "With the chains. He made sure the clamps were tight before he even began adding the weights."

"Did he touch you? Try and get you aroused?" Danny asked from across the room, as carefully and respectfully as he could. He noted Rick's shoulders tensing at the question and was relieved when Kau'i shook his head.

"No, aside from that first time and then putting the cock ring on me, he didn't try anything like that," Kau'i said. "Not until -."

"Not until what?" Steve said from beside him quickly and Kau'i flinched at the memory.

"Steve, give him a minute," Danny warned.

Steve nodded in apology, a flicker of eyes over to Danny who was watching him calmly, giving him space.

"He used the knife on me before he did anything else," Kau'i told them. "It's weird because it didn't really hurt, not really. At first I didn't know what he was doing, but some of the cuts he made a little deeper, they stung the most but the lashes had hurt more. Maybe it was because my body was already in pain at the time; it didn't really react to what he was doing. I guess I figured they weren't that bad because I couldn't feel much blood. I mean, I'd have felt it right? I'd have felt the blood trickling."

Kau'i looked at Rick with wide eyes as he asked, so many silent questions that he didn't ask. Like why hadn't Rick come home earlier? Why had David attacked him like he had? What if the knife had slipped? What if David had just kept cutting and cutting and cutting? Rick looked morbidly back at him, wishing he could erase the memories and the entire experience. Rick gave a small nod of his head as if in answer him, hoping it would give Kau'i some peace of mind.

"Then he began hanging the weights," Kau'i continued, giving a small shiver. "I could handle it all at first but he just kept putting on more, the clamps got tighter, felt like they were going to rip off. I was begging him by then, I'm not sure how long but I kept asking him to stop. Just hoped he'd stop because it was beginning to hurt, a weird kind of pain, like it was everywhere."

...

_"Please, please." His throat was dry and he swallowed hard, trying to get the saliva flowing. It felt like pain had enveloped him, a blanket surrounding his entire being._

_A hand pressed at his chin and he grimaced, made a choking sound, desperate and frightened._

_"Open up," the voice told him. A voice too calm and focused. Kau'i honestly thought he was going to carry out the threat of gagging him with the gun and shook in fear within his bonds. A soft, rubbery surface touched his lips and he left out a gasp of relief, it was a dildo or probe, maybe even a cock gag, but not metal muzzle. Of that he was grateful. "Suck it, if you want to make things easier for yourself pet."_

_'Fuck,' Kau'i groaned inwardly. The fucker was going to use it on him. He concentrated on trying to slick the dildo as much as he could, uncaring how it looked, desperate to make things easier. As he shifted his head the weights moved and rocked, causing him to groan in pain, sounds gurgling past the rubber filling his mouth._

_It was slipped from his mouth quickly, a trail of saliva smacking his lips and against his chin. He pulled in deep breaths, tried to relax and breathe. There was a beat of silence before gloved fingers rested at his hip and the rounded head of the dildo pressed against his ass. He tried, tried so hard to relax but the entire situation made it difficult. He could feel it pressing relentlessly and struggled, setting the weights rocking and the chains pulling as he whimpered in response._

_"Come on, open up for me," his torturer coaxed._

_He let out a helpless cry, grinding his teeth, swore to kill the fucker under his breath. But it didn't stop the nightmare and he felt the probe opening him up._

_"Good boy, you know you want it," he was told._

_'No, no,' Kau'i told himself. 'No I don't. No please no'_

_He was suddenly reminded of being a boy. His sister, much older than him had been babysitting and was watching some old monster 'b' movie. Of course it hadn't been that scary, to a fifteen year old, but to an eight year old it had been terrifying. He began to believe the monsters lived in his closet or under his bed and his mother had told him to just close his eyes and will them away with his mind. Because in your mind you could fight every night terror, in your daydreams you could be a superhero with every power imaginable._

_Only he wasn't eight any more. He was thirty two and alone and tied to rack as some fucker tortured him and forced a probe into his ass. He began to cry as the probe slid in, aided along by the slight slick he'd been able to put on it. He squeezed his eyes shut behind the blackness of his blindfold but it didn't stop the tears, soaking the material and seeping out and down his cheeks. The taste of salt hit his tongue as he begged for it to end._

_A thumb brushed over his lips, trailing against the tears._

_"Please, please stop, no more, please," Kau'i begged between ragged, hiccupping breaths._

_"Nearly done pet," he was assured, a sharp slap on his face to keep him focused._

_Fingers brushed from his ass, now filled with the dildo and his cock, encased in the cock ring and pulled at by weights. He jerked as pincer like pain suddenly clamped into the sensitive skin between ass and cock, then another and another, pulling down, down, down. He didn't recognise his own groans of pain, though they filled the room, surrounding him. Tears still soaked his skin and his body shook involuntarily as he tried to assimilate the pain as best he could._

_"Perfect," the man informed him._

_There was silence again and nothing happened. Kau'i wondered if he was losing consciousness, drifting or floating on the pain. He whimpered and flinched as fingers brushed over his face again before the blindfold was removed. He winced, opening his eyes, vision hazy and blurred with tears. He looked to his side, a shadow walking out the door. He looked forward, desperate for a glimpse of his torturer but the light was muted and the shadow disappeared before him out of sight._

_He stared, desperate and fearful. What if they came back? Was this the end or did they plan more? He waited, for what seemed like forever, staring out of the window, waiting but the shadow stayed hidden. Kau'i felt his blood pounding, glanced down, tried to look at himself but the brace stayed solid around his neck and prevented his movement. Again he glanced at the window, expecting his torturer to return but still no-one._

_Finally, achingly, he gave voice to his fear and his pain._

~

David watched from the shadows, listened to the disembodied voice of the pet tied to the rack. Watched him cry out, desperate and painful, with no-one to hear him. He leaned against the wall and smiled a final glimpse at the canvas he'd decorated especially for his former Master. A gift for Richard. David had been surprised at Richard's choice. This sub was so ordinary, pretty yes, but not so very striking. He seemed delicate, which he supposed appealed to Rick's Dominant side, taking care of a little weakling. David sneered at the idea, Rick had become soft. He'd been a strong submissive, given Rick something to sink his dominating teeth into.

For all that he'd become afraid, David had come to learn the darkness would always be a part of him. He'd ran away because he blamed Richard, blamed him for making him different, part of the freak show, it was too late when he realised it was always going to be part of him. That it was better to let the darkness out to play. His new Master understood. His Master should be here to see the gift he'd created, the pet all broken and waiting. When Richard saw him he'd break too - David wanted to see it. Wanted to see him broken like he'd broke him all those years ago. In a perfect scenario David would be there, to show his former Master how much better a submissive he was now. How much he could tolerate and crave and please and pleasure. Not a perfect pet but not far from it.

He took a final glance at the man strapped to the rack, crying with pain, his moans haunting the empty cells. With a sigh he skulked away to make his escape, to return to his Master and tell him what had happened.


	7. Chapter 7

"I don't know how long it was before someone came," Kau'i said in a hushed voice, so low Steve had to strain to hear him. "By then I'd stopped crying, stopped moaning. I figured if I remained as still as I could it would stop everything rocking. I could cope with the pain then, just waiting. I thought I was seeing things at first; the cell is far from the walkway through the rooms. I knew it wasn't Rick and I knew John was the only other person to use the walk through unless the guy- unless David - had come back. So I called out for John. I wasn't even sure he would hear me, if the intercom was on or not. Fuck I just hoped, hoped he'd look round and he did. Then he was gone and he brought Rick back with him."

With a large exhale Kau'i sank back against the pillows, telling the story seemed to lift something but at the same time, his hands shook and he felt sick to his stomach. His fingers gripped tight still to Rick's and he felt the need to cry again, swallowing down on the lump forming in his throat. Rick just patted his hand and stared at him, a grimacing scowl on his features as he took in the events that had took place.

~  
Danny and Steve walked into HQ in a sombre mood. Chin was leaning over the computer and Kono was in her office, head bent over some forms, a scowl on her features. Chin looked up, quirking an eyebrow at them as they came to stand at the computer table, trying to figure out what he was doing.

"Hey, how did it go?" Chin asked, looking at them both and settling his gaze on Steve.

Steve stared tiredly back at him, lips pursed, jaw set. Danny gave a shake of his head against the back drop of Steve's silence.

"David fucked him over pretty good," Danny sighed bitterly. "But he's a strong guy, stubborn. It will take time but he'll get through this."

"You got anything?" Steve said, snapping out of his silence and folding his arms, eyes piercing into Chin's.

Chin squared up to him with a sigh, he'd love to be telling them both the exact whereabouts of David but the guy was like a ghost. He wanted him off the streets as much as they did. He shrugged his shoulders reluctantly.

"We're trying here but it's like he knew where we'd look," Chin explained. "After he left Rick the first time, he disappeared, just got on an airplane to the mainland and disappeared. No credit cards, no new address - I figure he bought himself a new identity."

"But that doesn't make sense," Danny said shaking his head. "The guy disappears for four years then begins using credit cards again in the last few months?"

"He comes back, reactivates some old accounts in his name, hires a car, buys some supplies, then goes to ground once more," Chin shrugs. "The last known use of his card was the gas station; he returned the hire car two days later. That was over a week ago. It's like he's playing with us, just dangling enough threads to keep us busy."

"The car he hired -," Steve began, mind racing ahead but Chin cut him off.

"An old model," Chin shook his head, knowing what he was thinking. "It's an old dealership, cheap hires. None of the cars come with any of the mod cons. It's impossible to retrace his steps."

"What's Kono working on?" Steve asked instead, looking over to her office.

"John gave us some names of people he knows were close to Rick and David when they were together," Chin replied. "But some of them don't live in the area any more. She's been in touch with a few of them but nobody seems to know where David went when he left. It was like he didn't want to be found or followed. I guess she's just trying to find some new leads, but it's not looking good at the moment."

Steve flashed him a dark look before leaving them both, walking to his office and closing the door. Chin followed his movements through the windows before looking over to Danny with a concerned look.

"He okay?" he asked quietly.

Danny gave a small shake of his head, "No. This one’s pretty tough Chin - listening to Kau'i's side of things."

"Are you okay?" Chin asked, giving a wry smile.

Danny stood up, wiping a hand over his face and through his hair. "No. I'd feel better if we had something to go on. I keep thinking if we'd gotten there earlier, or started looking earlier. You think its coincidence we caught him on camera or do you think it's part of his game? Knowing we'd find nothing once we began searching for him?"

"Pretty elaborate if it was part of his plans," Chin replied thoughtfully. "But then, he was careful about sneaking in. I guess, thinking about it, he seemed to keep his head down and avoided the cameras as much as he could. It wasn't hard, they're easy to see and there aren't any in the cells area aside from outside the two entrances. So yeah, maybe you're right, considering how careful he was to stay hidden when he got into the house, why give us a glimpse when he was leaving if it wasn't because he planned to show us who he was."

"He wanted Rick to know," Danny said, leaning down on the table and letting out a heavy sigh. "This, all of this, it's about Rick. It's got nothing to do with an attack on Kau. He did this because he knew how much it would affect Rick that was the point. He knew Rick would recognise him and he made sure to leave no trail so he couldn't be followed."

"But why?" Chin said with a frown. "Why do all of this?"

"That's the one frustrating thing about this entire fucking situation," Danny said with a grimace. "Only David knows why and he's not telling. And we'll never find out unless we find him."

~

It was another unproductive day of grasping desperately at straws. Steve called it a night and was silent and brooding on the way home. Danny drove, Steve sinking down in the seat morbidly. Danny gripped the wheel tight, propped his elbow up against the window and palmed his forehead as he took it slow and easy driving home.

"We should talk," he said when the silence got too much.

Steve didn't reply, merely stared out of the window, either ignoring him or not wanting to be drawn into conversation.

"Steve," Danny tried again, side glancing him.

"Not now," Steve said with a shake of his head, refusing to look at him.

Danny sighed, letting it go for now. He knew he had to be careful how far he pushed, how much. Steve couldn't be pressured into opening up but something was going on. Their easiness and banter had been missing for some time and it was beginning to unnerve him. He parked the car, Steve exiting and heading into the house without looking back. Danny followed at a slower pace, watching Steve take the stairs two at a time. He closed the door, tossed the keys into the bowl on the side table and headed towards the kitchen instead. Beer, he needed beer and something to eat. It had been a few days since they'd eaten anything that wasn't take out or left overs.

He scoured the cupboards and fridge, pulling out some things to make a meal. He listened to the stairs creak and a few moments later the front door slammed.

"Steve?" he called out, though he knew he'd gone already.

Leaning against the counter he breathed, closed his eyes and wondered how long he'd be gone for. Brushing the panic aside that something may be breaking between them that he couldn't fix, he set his mind on preparing a meal for the two of them.

~  
Steve pounded over the sidewalks until he hit the beach, heading away from the house. The sand made it harder to run, made him work harder to keep the pace he set himself. Night was setting in fast but it was a clear evening, the moon bright and full. The running made his lungs burn, his legs ache, chest tighten as he equalled out his breathing. He just stared ahead and kept going, not really caring of his direction; he just needed the salt air to fill his lungs, the night to swallow him up.

He didn't want to talk to Danny; he wanted to do other things. Wanted to get down on his knees and let go of everything, forget everything that was going on with this damned fucking case. Changing in the bedroom, he'd resisted the urge to call Danny up, to get on his knees and wait for him to come. A part of him had suddenly balked at the idea of it, that sickened feeling deep inside had forced him to continue changing into his running gear. He didn't understand why he suddenly felt this way but he knew it was a product of the case. Of seeing Kau'i the way they'd found him, tied to the rack, Rick desperately removing items from his body that had been used as torture devices. 

Steve had seen far worse things - kind of tortures he'd never speak of to anyone. Seen men tortured mercilessly in front of him to make him talk, suffered the brutality of it himself to force other men to talk. But this case, the subject of David's motivations, that was causing this barrier to come up. Made him question that side of his relationship to Danny, whether it was really what he wanted to be exploring with him.

He ran until his lungs felt ready to burst, coming to a halt in the sand, sinking to his knees and sucking in breaths. He steadied himself with a hand, waited for the dizziness to clear before he sat back, staring out over the vast ocean, waves lapping up onto the shore. Pushing himself to his feet he turned back, took a few steps and began running again, forcing himself to pick up the pace. Running fed on his energy, when he got home he'd eat, shower, sleep. No talking, not about what Kau'i had told them. They'd talk in the office about it but not at home, they wouldn't bring that home with them.

~

Danny stirred the Bolognese and checked his watch, relief flooding him when he heard the front door open and shut once more. He went to the doorway, Steve standing in the living area, sweating, panting and looking a little lost.

"Hey," Danny said calmly to get his attention. "Foods nearly ready."

"I'll go shower," Steve panted out, heading up the stairs.

He returned to find Danny setting out the table in the dining room.

"Sit down, foods done," Danny told him, brushing a hand over his waist before going into the kitchen.

Steve took a seat, feeling famished and breaking the caps off the beers Danny had put on the table for them both. Danny set down the plates and took a seat himself.

"Thanks," Steve said gruffly before attacking his food with a vengeance, realizing it was the first meal they'd eaten in days that wasn't a quick fix.

Danny took to his food more slowly, ignoring the awkwardness that rested between them. They were both silent for a time, nothing but the chinking of forks on plates.

"I'm sorry," Steve suddenly blurted out, setting down his fork. The food had filled a hole, washed down with the beer that had relaxed him somewhat.

Danny glanced up at him, finished chewing and gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Nothing to apologise for."

Steve wanted to argue that there was but Danny didn't know he was beginning to question their relationship, or at least some of the dynamics of it. And he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud, because saying it aloud would make it real. Despite everything, Steve didn't want to risk screwing everything up between them. 

Danny looked at him curiously, like he knew Steve had more to say but Steve clamped his lips together. "Steve?"

"This was really nice, thanks," Steve said changing the subject as he sat back in his chair.

Danny stared at him a few seconds before continuing eating his food, "No problem."

"Do we have Grace this weekend?" Steve asked. Usually he knew but he couldn't recall Danny telling him.

"No," Danny shook his head. "Rachel and Stan are visiting some of Stan's relatives this weekend remember?"

Steve frowned, thought back. The days had begun to roll into one but he vaguely remembered a few days back, Danny telling him. In the kitchen as he'd made breakfast.

"We were planning to ask Chin and Kono over Friday?" Danny coaxed, helping him remember. 

Steve stared over at him. Yes, they had been going to, just the four of them hanging out. He thought about Kono and Chin, about the case. At work they'd been professional, but he knew they had questions. They were too good at their work to not question how Steve and Danny knew Rick and Kau'i so well. Too good to not see just how much Danny and Steve understood about 'the scene', Rick's work and what had happened to Kau'i.

"They'll have questions," Steve said with a nod of his head. He gazed at Danny and Danny stared straight back.

"Yes, they will," Danny agreed. "Is that so bad?"

"Danny, I can't-," Steve shook his head.

Danny reached over and rested his hand over Steve's where it rested on the table, giving a small squeeze.

"Steve they are our friends," Danny assured him. "They won't think any less of either of us. And we don't have to tell them anything we don't want to."

"This case is so fucked up," Steve said suddenly. Angry at the lack of leads, at the frustration of coming up with nothing. Angry at how it was beginning to make him feel and think about his personal feelings towards submission, how it was putting an invisible wedge between him and his partner. What with the case, long hours, early starts to keep up with what few leads they'd had - they'd not had sex in what seemed like forever.

"Yeah, it is," Danny agreed wearily. He pushed his plate away, finished off his beer before standing, giving him a weak smile. "Help me clear up?"

It didn't take long to tidy away the supper dishes together and they retired to the living room, Danny stretching out tiredly on the couch, Steve taking the easy chair. The TV provided mild entertainment but Steve found himself drawn to watching Danny, staring at him, the way he lay out on the couch, eyes intent on the screen, hand lazily rubbing against his thigh. How easy it would be for him to ask Danny to give him a few orders, get him into his submissive zone. Enough to get him on his knees before him, focused entirely on him as he was now but under Danny's control. A knot twisted into his stomach and he pushed up from the chair with a grimace.

"I'm tired, going to bed," Steve said reluctantly, ignoring the window of opportunity.

"Hey," Danny said, stretching out a hand to him. "Me too. Help me up."

Danny gave him a half smile and Steve took his hand, pulled him up as Danny used the remote with his free hand to turn off the TV. As Steve took the stairs Danny snagged the hem of his t-shirt with his fingers, like Steve were leading him upwards. Steve couldn't help but smile.

In the bedroom Danny disappeared into the bathroom and Steve stripped down, pulling down the covers of the bed and lying down wearily. Danny reappeared; taking him in with a smile as he stripped off himself and Steve allowed himself to indulge the view as layer by layer Danny peeled away his clothes. Steve felt a dip of lust in his gut, cock stirring with desire of his lover. He shifted onto his stomach with a sigh, unsure how to approach sex without the strings of Dom and sub. It had been a long time since there hadn't been an element of that side of them present when they made love. They'd always said it didn't define their relationship, but it had been some time since it had been simply sex between lovers.

Danny watched from across the room as he folded aside his clothes. Steve turned onto his stomach as if hiding his desire and Danny felt a thrum of anger at it, like Steve was rejecting him. This fucking case was fucked up as Steve had said - was fucking with their relationship and Danny was beginning to worry something was breaking that they couldn't fix. He got into bed, pulling the sheet over his legs but it was a warm night, not even a cool breeze coming through the window. Too hot to cover up.

"Steve," he said gently. "What's happening here?"

Steve rolled onto his back again after a moment’s pause, frowning upwards. "What?"

"A few days ago we were fine and now it's like-," he trailed off, unsure how to put it into words. "We're strangers."

"I'm sorry," Steve said in reply, voice sounding small and needy.

Danny felt his heart throb hard at the sound, like Steve somehow thought this was all his fault. He rolled over to face him, sliding closer.

"It's not you and it isn't me," Danny assured him, cradling his face with his hand. "It's this fucked up case."

"Danny, I can't do this right now," Steve said.

Danny felt that lurch of rejection again before he began to understand what Steve was saying. It wasn't that he didn't want Danny or desire him anymore; it was that he couldn't tap into his submission. Danny gave him a small smile, moving closer so he could slide his body on top of Steve's. Despite himself Steve's hands came to rest at his hips as Danny's knees straddled his thighs.

"Just you and me, okay babe?" Danny whispered before pressing his mouth to Steve's. Nothing more or less, just a gentle pressure, hoping Steve would draw him in for more.

Steve didn't respond directly, then his lips parted and a hand came up to rest in Danny's hair, pulling him in, his other hand sliding around his waist and holding him closer. Danny let him set the pace, followed his unspoken directions, when Steve lifted his hips Danny answered by rolling his down to meet him.

They fell into a soft rhythm, mouths never too far from one another’s as they stole kisses or breathed panting breaths into each other’s skin. Danny rested his hands on Steve's shoulders and settled his hips as Steve ground up against him, their cocks rubbing together relentlessly. Blindly he reached for the bedside cabinet, feeling Steve pause which gave him a minute to take out the lube from the drawer, pressing it into Steve's hand.

"Touch me?" Danny asked gently. "Please."

Steve got with the programme, pouring lube into his palm before putting his hand between them. Danny pushed up enough to give him room, gasping and closing his eyes as Steve took them both in hand. It was a clumsy rhythm but Danny didn't care, he was happy they were connecting. He'd never get enough of listening to Steve's desire, the way moans and sounds rolled from his lips. He floated with the feel of his partner touching him the way he liked to be touched, just the right amount of pressure of his fingers, thumb massaging over the head. It took a few moments before he realised Steve had stopped moving beneath him, save for the movement of his hand.

Danny had to fight for clarity, enough to open his eyes and focus, confused and alarmed. Fearful Steve wasn't enjoying himself as much as he was. Relief thrummed into him when he found Steve staring intently, gaze solid on him, watching him as he lost himself to the pleasure. Danny smiled, shy and awkward for a few seconds at the attention. Steve smiled back at him, hand still working his cock slow but steady, enjoying him.

Danny leaned down, crushing Steve's hand between them but he didn't care, mouth covering Steve's, desperate for more connection. Steve managed to pull his hand from between them to wrap it around Danny's back, the kiss slow and deep. He pushed up a little and Danny went with it, rolling with him so they were on their sides, one of Steve's legs nestled between his. Steve moved his hips again, rolling against him and Danny gasped, pulling in a breath at the feel as their cocks ground together again. Steve pressed his mouth to his throat as they became lost in the pleasure again.

"Yeah - fuck - babe," Danny whispered out. Close so close.

Steve placed a hand on his thigh to steady his hips, using the hold to better thrust against him. Another kiss pressed against his throat before he lowered his head, a hand tracing Steve's face as he looked at him again.

"I love you," Steve told him. Danny was never in any doubt of it, despite a few weird, awkward moments between them lately.

"Love you more," Danny replied with a smile.

"Impossible," Steve said, smiling smugly as he ground their cocks a little tighter and earned a gasp of pleasure in reply.

"Steve," Danny groaned as he did it again. "Babe,-."

"I know, I know," Steve agreed. Too close the both of them. Though they wanted it to last it never would.

They moved together, faster, harder, the pleasure causing them to writhe and moan against each other’s mouths. Danny came first, a deep shudder and groaning shout of Steve's name before sticky heat pulsed against their stomachs. The slick helped Steve move steadier, feeling the pulsing twitch of Danny's cock against his own. Listening to his lover’s ecstasy spurred him on and with a grunt of pleasure he ground his hips against Danny, fingers tight on his hips as he came.

They lay for a long time coming down from the high of pleasure thrumming through them. Silent, eyes locked, fingers stroking each other’s bodies. Steve pulled away first, merely to retrieve a warm damp flannel from the bathroom to wipe away the mess. He tossed the cloth afterwards and was pulled back into Danny's arms. 

They fell asleep content.


	8. Chapter 8

~  
Steve was summoned mid-day to the Governor’s office. All four of them glanced at each other over the computer table when Steve took the call and the others were ready to go with him but he shook his head. He'd deal with the Governor alone. No doubt he'd heard of them taking on the case, usually these days it was a case of waiting for the Governor to assign them one he thought needed their particular attention.

They glanced sceptically at one another - Denning wasn't going to be happy unless they had something to tell him, which was very little. 

"We could make something up," Chin suggested, knowing it was a long shot. "Enough to buy us some time."

Steve shook his head again, leaning down on the table. "Isn't there anything? Anything we can go on, something solid I can take to him to sell the case?"

One by one they shook their heads in reply. They'd followed up everything and it all came up zero. For two solid days and well into the evenings they'd searched for something, but it was like David simply didn't exist. Steve would have gladly went to the Governor with a cover story if he knew that they were onto something, but it was becoming increasingly frustrating to them all that the case was drying up and fast.

"Look, I go in, explain the situation," Steve shrugged. "He'll tell us to wrap it up, close it down. So we make it look like we do but we can keep looking right? Even if he gives us another case, we've so little to go on with this, that it won't take much of our efforts to still run it under the radar as it were."

Chin nodded in thought, "I'll put a call in with Duke. I put an APB out on David when we first pulled his face from the video. I'll ask him to keep an ear to the ground, eyes on the street, fill him in on the details a little more. That way, even if we are assigned to something else, this has still got some priority, even under the radar."

Silently they all agreed and Danny walked with Steve to the car. 

"Sure you don't want me to come with?" Danny asked him.

"No, it's fine," Steve shook his head. "We should maybe call Rick; give him a heads up on this. He isn't going to be too happy but he needs to know the truth Danny. And he needs to understand we aren't giving up on this."

"I'll call him," Danny agreed, putting a hand on is arm before he could walk to the car. "Hey, call me as soon as you're finished with Denning. Good luck okay; don't let him give you any shit about taking this case on. Rick wanted the best and he got the best, fuck the Governor if he thinks different."

Steve smirked and nodded, heading for the car as Danny got on the phone to Rick.

~  
Kau'i looked at Rick as he finished on the phone. Rick had booked them into luxurious rooms at the Hilton and he was currently lain out on the bed resting, glad to have escaped the hospital. Rick had a look on his face that caught Kau'i attention and he sat up, moving the pillows so he could rest upright against the headboard.

"What's wrong?" Kau'i asked when Rick didn't say anything, staring thoughtfully out of the window.

"That was Danny," Rick explained quietly. "He just wanted to tell us that he thinks the Governor may be pulling the investigation."

Kau'i processed the information with a slow swallow, giving a small nod of understanding.

"Danny says technically they'll be forced to but unofficially they'll of course continue working the case and they are quietly getting HPD involved," Rick said, turning to him and walking to the bed, sitting on the edge by him. "But he says they keep coming to dead ends with any leads they get. Everything they've followed so far has come to nothing. It's like David doesn't exist, the only thing connecting him to the case is the video footage from the house."

Kau'i reached out blindly for Rick's hand, fingers fumbling against his thigh before they connected and coiled into Rick's.

"It's like he had this all meticulously planned," Rick sighed, feeling helpless. He hadn't felt helpless in a long time. Too long. He was at a loss as to what to do, for Kau'i, for himself. "I'm sorry baby."

"Five 0 are doing their best," Kau'i said trying to be optimistic. But inside he felt bitter and angry. David tied him to a rack and tortured him, leaving no trace. The son of a bitch couldn't be allowed to get away with this. It wasn't fair.

~

Steve walked out of the Governor's office with a headache forming and itchy fingers. Like he wanted to shoot something. Danny was right - fuck the Governor for not understanding the intricacies of the investigation. A man had been tied to a rack and tortured, his attacker leaving no trace. How did Denning not understand the seriousness of the case? Of course, it hadn't had publicity as the team had worked with HPD to keep it from the media as much as they could. A quiet case didn't do much for Denning's public image, especially one with zero leads and the one suspect gone without a trace.

Steve grimaced as he walked from the building to the car. Fuck public image, the task force wasn't just there to keep Denning looking good. He called Danny as he stood by the car, calming down before he drove.

"How'd it go?" Danny asked without even saying hello as he answered the phone.

"Case is closed," Steve replied. "Unless you've come up with something in the forty minutes I've been in with Denning."

There was a pregnant pause of silence.

"I'm heading back to HQ," Steve continued. 

"He give us another case?" Danny asked.

"No," Steve replied. "But he wants this one closed. He sees no point in continuing if we have nothing to go on. Did you speak to Rick?"

"I explained the situation," Danny told him. "He says he understands but he won't be happy."

"As long as he doesn't do anything stupid," Steve said in thought. "But then he's as oblivious as us in knowing where David is."

~

When Steve arrived at HQ there was a dejected atmosphere in the bullpen. Kono glanced up at him with a grim smile and shrug of her shoulder.

"Sorry boss," she said, like it were affecting Steve on a personal level. He appreciated the thought and gave her a nod of acceptance. "So what now?"

"We wait until a new case comes up," Steve said as they gathered around. "So I guess that means we get a little downtime. After the last few days, we should make the most of it."

Everyone nodded but were reluctant to think about enjoying themselves. An unsolved case with frustratingly little to go on wasn't something they were used to and certainly not something they wanted to give up on. But they had to tread carefully with the new governor.

"Okay," Chin nodded, pulling away. "Guess I'll go close those files."

"Yeah me too," Kono nodded. Pausing before she reached her office she turned back to Steve and Danny. "Hey boss, want to go to the firing range later?"

Steve smiled and looked at her; he obviously wasn't the only one who needed to vent the frustration by firing off a few rounds.

"Sure," he nodded. "When you're done come find me."

Kono went into her office and Steve turned to find Danny watching him knowingly. He gave a small shrug of his shoulders in response.

"What? You'd prefer I go blow something up rather than shoot at an unmoving target?" Steve teased.

"You two," Danny said, waving a hand between Steve and the direction of Kono's office. "Just, don't go too crazy okay. I do not want to hear you've both been asked never to return to the firing range again because you both got a little over eager with your weapons."

"Come with us," Steve smiled, walking with him to his office.

"No, I'll let you two kids go play," Danny shook his head. "I can think of other ways to vent my frustrations at this case."

Steve patted him on the shoulder, looking sarcastically eager. "Oh I look so forward to listening to the venting later. I'm sure I'll be the receiver of all that complaining."

Danny smiled, gave him a nudge of his elbow and went into his office.

"Call me later when you're done," Danny told him over his shoulder. "And babe, don't decide before you get there that blowing something up would be a funner way to spend your afternoon."

"Yes Sir," Steve mocked from the doorway before leaving to go to his own office.

Danny had to pause and watch him walk away. It was the first time Steve had said 'Sir' to him in days and whilst it may have been in jest, Danny couldn't help but feel the tug and pull of something inside him at the sound if it.

~

Rick sat by the window, the room was bathed in darkness as Kau'i slept. The evening had went nicely but Kau'i had been washed out by the end and hadn't needed any coaxing to go back to the suite to rest. The pain meds were pretty strong which only helped wipe him out further and Rick had tucked him up as he fell soundly asleep. Rick hoped it would be a deep sleep undisturbed by memories and nightmares of what David had done to him.

David - the little sleep Rick had been getting had been about David. Like memories awoken of their time together. Each dream felt familiar yet David turned dark and sinister within them, causing Rick to wake suddenly sweating, heart racing. He wondered how long he'd be haunted by the memories.

He'd spoken again with Steve about the case. Between them Danny and Steve had kept him updated with proceedings and he could understand the frustrations. Rick had even made calls of his own, but none of their old acquaintances had an idea of where David had gone once he'd left the island. Had he been planning this kind of revenge since he'd left? And why? That was what bothered Rick so much, that he couldn't understand David's motivations.

He looked over at the sleeping form of his lover. Rick couldn't understand how any person could have done that to his Kau'i. The image of how Kau'i had looked strapped to the rack was imprinted on his mind. He couldn't shake the horror he'd felt, the wave of weakness and fear that had run through him. He wanted to lay him out and kiss away every bruise and mark that David had put on his body, like his touch could chase away the pain and memory of how each mark had been made.

Though they shared a bed Rick had made no attempt to touch or be intimate in any way that would pressure Kau'i into thinking he wanted more than he was ready to give. Hugs, kisses, holding him Rick would and could do and Kau'i seemed more than happy to be bestowed with the attention. They'd spoken little of what had happened since Kau'i had told Steve and Danny what David had done to him. If Kau'i needed to talk, Rick was ready to listen, but he was determined that Kau felt no pressure from him for anything.

Rick hadn't mentioned the house, going home didn't seem an option for the time being. Who knew when Kau'i would be comfortable going back to the mansion. Even Rick felt sickened when he thought of going home. David had turned the place into something sinister and dark, especially the cells. For now and days to come, Rick wouldn't be taking any clients and he didn't feel a loss at that. Up until now, working as a Pro Dom had been his life, he'd mastered his craft, continued to learn with willing subjects. But now, he felt nothing for the lifestyle or that part of his life. He didn't miss it like he thought he would and that surprised him. He thought he'd feel loss or sadness, miss it in some way but he didn't. All he currently cared about was keeping Kau'i safe, watching him get better and come through this with as little damage as possible. He'd been damaged enough physically but hopefully the mental scars wouldn't last.

Rick smiled standing and crossing the room. It was a cool in the room and he turned the air con off before sliding under the sheets, curling up to the warm heat Kau'i gave off where he lay. Rick rested gently against him, hand light on his thigh and he dipped his head and rested it between Kau'i's shoulder blades. He wasn't sure what message David had been trying to pass along - perhaps a show of jealousy, or power. Merely a 'fuck you' to him for whatever hurts he still carried after all these years. Rick didn't care, because David had hurt Kau'i, but he hadn't broke him. In fact in part, he'd given him a renewed strength, a fighting spirit to overcome the abuse he'd endured. A strength that proved to Rick they'd get through it, no matter how long it took.

He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to claim him, hoping instead of David filling his dreams; it would be memories of Kau.

~

The next days were unproductive. The governor had put the case to rest but hadn't come up with anything new for them, so they carefully followed up loose leads, though nothing came of it. The weekend hit and Steve was in the kitchen preparing food for the evening as Danny arrived home after a quick visit to the local store. Steve listened to him as he walked through the house talking.

"...wow, that big huh? - sounds amazing," Danny said, setting down the bags in his arms, phone caught between his cheek and his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll have a great time monkey. Hey I just got home, you want to talk to Steve?"

Steve grinned and wiped his hands on a cloth before taking the phone extended out to him.

"Hey Grace," he said.

"Hey Steve, what ya doing?" Grace asked lightly.

"Chin and Kono are coming over," Steve told her. "We're making kebabs."

"Aww, on the grill?" Grace asked, sounding disappointed not to be there.

"Want me to keep you some?" Steve teased, Danny rolling his eyes at him as he unpacked the bags.

"No silly, I'm going away this weekend remember," Grace pointed out. "We're going to stay with Stan's mom and dad."

"Aww well next time huh," Steve assured her. "You could always have kebabs there."

"I don't think so," Grace said a little sadly. "Any way, they wouldn't be the same as yours."

"Grace, we need to go darling. You can call Danno when we arrive," Steve heard Rachel say in the background.

"K' mom," Grace replied, before sighing deep. "I gotta go."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later okay," Steve told her. "I'll put Danno back on. Aloha."

"Aloha Steve, love you," Grace said before he handed the phone over.

Steve was a little surprised by the words and handed the phone to Danny with a smile his face. Danny frowned, taking the phone and saying his goodbyes and 'love you's' also before hanging up.

"What?" Danny asked him as Steve's eyes drifted to the phone as he set it on the counter.

"Grace just said 'love you' to me," Steve said slowly.

"She had excellent taste," Danny grinned, moving closer and putting a hand on his hip. "Though it's usually customary to reply with 'love you too'."

"She's never said that to me before," Steve pointed out.

Danny couldn't help but laugh at Steve's reaction. "You're cute when you're surprised babe. Really. Now, how’s the food coming along? Chin and Kono will be here soon."

"Nearly done," Steve replied, shaking his head clear and thinking ahead. "I'll go start the grill."

He peeled himself from Danny's hold and start outside, Danny following and leaning on the doorpost.

"Steve, if the subject comes up," Danny began carefully. "Will you be okay talking about, you know, us?"

Steve stood by the grill and began preparing to light it, pausing to look over at Danny. "You mean our relationship?"

Danny nodded, watching him closely, "As in, the lifestyle side of our relationship?"

Steve turned and got on with lighting the coals, turning the idea round in his head. He'd been having questions himself about that side of them, could he talk honestly about it to Chin and Kono if they were brave enough to broach the subject? Danny came up behind him, resting a hand on his back.

"It's okay if you don't want to," Danny assured him.

"We always talked about telling them," Steve shrugged, thinking aloud. "Or the idea of telling them, if it would make a difference them knowing or not."

"It's an important part of us," Danny said in agreement, 'or it was' he thought to himself.

Steve nodded awkwardly, coals lit he turned towards Danny who didn't move away. He just looked at him closely, a small smile on his lips.

"If they ask, then I'm happy talking about it," Steve said with a firm nod. "I'd rather I answer their curiosity than leave it to their imaginations."

Danny snorted at the idea, knowing Kono wasn't at all innocent with her thoughts. He'd been drinking with her long enough to know she had a mind that could drift to the gutter if encouraged and certainly had an extensive imagination when it came to sex. And who knew what Chin was thinking, he was a tough person to read but no doubt he knew and understood more than he let on. He certainly hadn't held back in asking about their relationship when they'd first gotten together.

"Okay," he nodded, stepping back. "Great."

~

"John," Kau'i said, standing and giving him a small wave to get his attention. 

John turned and saw him, giving a smile before weaving through the tables towards him. It was a warm evening and they'd arranged to meet outside, have drinks and a meal together.

Kau'i waited for him to come and John gave him a brief hug before pulling away. They both took each other in, thinking the other looked tired. John looked concerned and Kau'i reflected the look back but neither of them mentioned it.

"Where's Michael?" Kau'i asked as they sat down.

"He can't make it," John replied, pulling in his chair. "He said to apologise for him. If he can he'll join us later but something came up last minute. Where's Rick?"

"He had to take a call, he'll be back soon," Kau'i explained.

They looked at each other again, a pause of silence.

"So, how have you been?" John asked cautiously.

Kau'i sized up the question, giving a small shrug. He could be honest with John, when anyone else asked; he usually just shrugged and said 'fine'.

"Been a little sore today," he replied, sitting back. "Like aching you know? I had a bad night, the doc gave me something to help me sleep but I was restless still. Rick's worried."

"Of course he is," John said, leaning over to put a hand over his. "We all are."

"I just keep having moments you know," Kau'i continued with a weak smile. "Where like everything is fine, I don't even think about what happened and then the next minute it's like I'm back there again. Then there's times when all I can think about is what happened."

"Kau it's only been a few days," John told him. "It's going to take a long time to get over it."

"I know," Kau'i nodded in understanding, frowning, his brow furrowing as he looked at John. "But then I keep thinking what if I don't get over it?"

John couldn't answer that and looked at him grimly. He was used to Kau'i being upbeat and positive; he usually found the bright side of every situation. It was difficult to see him struggling to find that part of himself again.

"You'll get over it because you have Rick and me and friends who want to help you," John said firmly. "And because you're too stubborn to let the bastard win."

Kau'i blinked at the mere mention of David and John swallowed down, wishing he hadn't broached the subject. But David was part of this, not just as Kau'i's attacker, but as part of Rick's past.

"Rick won't talk about him," Kau'i said. "Not really. I tried talking to him today and he just won't speak of him."

"Why do you need to talk about him?" John shrugged. He'd prefer conversation of David be kept to a minimum also. He still couldn't understand how the David he knew years ago could have done what he did.

"It's just," Kau'i began, pausing and leaning over to pick up his drink, knocking back a mouthful. "I guess I'm trying to understand him. All I ever knew about him was that he broke Rick's heart when they broke up. And that he tied me to a rack and tortured me. All I know is a shadow, I didn't see his face and Rick's never shown me pictures. Is it weird that I need to know about him? Like I'm trying to understand him so I can understand what he did to me?"

"That's the trouble Kau," John told him softly. "The David I knew, the one who Rick loved, isn't the person who did this to you. It was a shock when they broke up because up until then, I honestly thought they'd be together, well, forever. Which is weird because I guess it's the way I think about you and Rick now."

"I can't imagine leaving Rick," Kau'i shook his head hard. "And I don't know what I'd do if he left me."

"Who’s leaving who?" Rick interrupted them, appearing behind Kau'i's chair and setting hands on his shoulders with a warm squeeze. Kau'i relaxed into the touch with a smile.

"Nobody," Kau'i replied with a shake of his head as Rick pulled away to lean down and give John a chaste kiss on the cheek. 

"How you doing John?" Rick asked, taking a seat by Kau.

"Good thanks," John replied with a smile. "Michael couldn't make it."

"Okay," Rick agreed, not pressing for details. He eyed John closely, taking in the tiredness of his eyes and the awkward way he sat on the chair. John winced, shifting slightly and Rick was wise enough to understand he was dealing with a pained ass. The past few days he'd seen John he'd been in some type of pain, Rick's practised eye picked up signs other people didn't. It concerned him that Michael was being so strict at such a complicated and stressful time in John's life. 

But he reminded himself that John always had the power to stop what was happening.


	9. Chapter 9

"We figure you may have - questions," Danny started warily, watching as Chin and Kono exchanged awkward glances at the prompting.

Kono shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, "It isn't any of our business."

Danny could see how difficult that was for her to say, a little under duress considering Chin's meaningful glare towards her. Kono was never one to back down when there was information to be sought out; it was what made her a good cop. Chin was more cautious, looking at the whole picture before he decided which path to take. But he was grateful they were trying to be respectful of their relationship, despite their curiosity.

"Yeah, we get that," Steve nodded in response. "Look, we're just saying if you want to ask us anything, we're happy to talk about it."

Chin blew out a breath and picked up his beer, swallowing down a mouthful.

"What?" Steve asked, eyebrows raised as he held his hands up to him innocently.

"I am so not comfortable talking to you about your sex life brah," Chin answered honestly with a small smile.

"Oh please, I know you asked Danny what I was like in bed when we first got together," Steve replied with a roll of his eyes.

Kono made an accusing sound, glaring at Chin with a look to match her tone.

"That was different," Chin said, waving a hand at them both. "That's more like guy talk."

"I'm a guy," Steve replied as if it needed to be pointed out. "And we're friends."

"Yes, we are," Chin nodded vigorously. "But it's you Steve. Look you are my best friend and I love you, but you're also Jack McGarrett's son and, I dunno, I guess that just makes talking to you about sex a little, weird. Emotions yeah, bring them on. I am totally supportive of how much you guys are into each other, but I really don't need to hear *how* Danny gets you off or vice versa while you're sitting right there."

"I personally, don't feel like that at all," Kono interjected with a wide smile.

Steve leaned back in his chair and stared at Chin giving a small nod of acceptance. If he thought back over their friendship, it had been rare they'd spoken about the physical act of sex with their respective partners. But they had always been open and honest about how they felt about their other half at the time. He admitted to himself it was just something that had developed between them and things were going to stay that way.

"Look brah you're happy right?" Chin said, sitting forward and looking Steve direct.

"Yeah, definitely," Steve nodded.

"Good, then that's all I need to know," Chin smiled. "Course if I ask Danny later what you’re like in bed, don't get offended I didn't ask in front of you. Asking him in private kind of makes it all right, in my fucked up head at least."

"Fucked up being the definite expression for whatever you're going on about," Kono said with a snort. Chin gave her a small shove and rolled his eyes as she curled her legs up onto the lounge chair and laughed over at Steve and Danny. "So - which one of you tops?"

"Kono," Chin said in an exasperated tone, shaking his head at her.

"What? They said ask, I'm asking," Kono pointed out to him and he glared at her again. "Fine, why don't you and Danny go talk elsewhere if it bothers you that much?"

"Um, this wasn't an open invitation for you guys to gather information on our sex life," Danny said to them both. "We know you have questions after what you saw at Rick's. We're just trying to be open here if you wanted to ask us anything."

"All right," Chin nodded, swallowing down a moment and taking in a breath. He looked Danny in the eye and held his gaze for a long moment. "Are you guys heavily into the scene?"

"I wouldn't say heavily, parts of it don't work for our dynamic," Danny answered honestly. "Intense Sado Masochism for instance isn't something that works for either of us."

"But things are safe and consensual between you?" Chin pressed, because he trusted them both, loved them both, but he felt a protective streak towards Steve born from his allegiance to his father and the longevity of their friendship. He didn't need to ask to figure out Danny held the reigns of the relationship as the 'Dom', it was just something he sensed from them. He couldn't imagine it was easy for Steve to adjust into submission.

"Yes," Danny replied with a small nod.

"Always," Steve added from beside him, keen to assure his friend the relationship was something he and Danny pursued equally together.

"Then that's all I need to know," Chin said satisfied.

"Seriously?" Kono asked, a small frown creasing her forehead.

Chin had to admit he wanted to ask more, but he still wasn't comfortable asking too much in front of Steve. Steve may submit for Danny but somehow it felt compromising to get them to open up, it could force Steve into his submissive role too publicly and it wouldn't do for the team dynamic. Steve was his boss as well as his friend, sensing a hint of submission from him towards Danny wouldn't feel right. Chin couldn't shake how physically seeing that submission, even if it were merely through a meeker, milder Steve, wouldn't be something he could handle. It wasn't like it weakened Steve, but it revealed part of him that Chin would rather he keep private, between himself and his lover, something Chin needed Steve to protect for himself, like a gift or something precious.

"For now," Chin admitted. "Maybe Danny and I will talk later."

He eyed Kono and gave a weak shrug. "I have my reasons."

"Why don't we go inside?" Danny said, sitting up. He grinned at Chin's surprised expression. "You have questions, Kono definitely has questions and I really don't think she can wait long enough for you to fuck off. Would you mind babe?"

Steve shook his head with a smile at Chin. "I get it Chin, it's fine. Go talk with Danny whilst I grapple with the minx."

"Hey," Kono responded, using a nacho his way from the bowl on the table as a missile. Steve just grinned, batting it out of the way and stretched out on his lounger.

"Well come on, look at you," Steve pointed out. "You're dying for details."

"You'd be worried about me if I wasn't a tiny bit curious," Kono retorted, picking up her beer and reclining back.

Chin and Danny retreated back into the house, grabbing fresh beers from the fridge and going into the living area.

"So, how did you two-," Chin began as they sat down, Danny in his usual chair and Chin on the sofa. "Well I'd say meet but, well, how did you figure this was gonna be part of the relationship?"

"I've always been into the scene," Danny told him, wanting that information out there in the open right away. "Back in Jersey I had a serious relationship with someone, as their Dominant. Me and Steve came about by chance, we 'met' at Rick's and everything developed from there."

"Okay, but he's comfortable right? I can't imagine someone like Steve finding submission an easy thing to deal with on such a personal level." Chin replied, tipping back a mouthful of beer.

"We take things pretty slow," Danny replied. "And the roles aren't something we're 'in' all the time, as a Dom and sub. We've always said it wouldn't be what defined our relationship, but I guess it's slowly become more and more part of who we are as a couple. Especially as Steve really opens himself up to explore that side of him. So far I've not done anything to fuck this up, every day I hope that never happens."

"Can't be easy," Chin said in thought. "The responsibility that must weigh on you."

"I guess that's all part of being the Dom, dealing with being in control, dealing with the responsibility," Danny nodded. "It isn't easy but it isn't supposed to be. And the trust, that fucking blows the mind in the best kind of way. It's satisfying and fulfilling in a good way. And I guess it helps me understand what he deals with every day at work, only he feels responsible for all of us and not just one person. If I can help him deal with that burden then I'll gladly take all the responsibility that comes with doing that."

~

"So?" Kono said, looking at Steve keenly with a cheeky smile. "You never answered my question. Who 'tops'?"

Steve gave a small grin, swallowing down some of his drink before looking out over the moonlit ocean. "Danny," he sighed in reply.

"Really?" Kono asked in surprise. Steve thought she may have figured it out already but hearing her reaction he looked sharply at her. She sat up a little and cocked her head at him. "I just figured, well I guess I never figured you as a guy taking orders in the bedroom. I suppose because you've been taking orders most of your career."

Steve smiled and nodded in agreement of her logic. "Makes sense I suppose, I can understand why you'd think that. But I also gave orders and the more I climbed the ranks, the more people I was in charge of and responsible for. Now I head up the task force which brings its own problems and responsibilities. It's nice to be able to leave it at the door when I get home, with someone who sees and knows what I go through every day and understands sometimes I just need to not think, to de-stress and to just let go. Even if it's just for a few hours."

"So, have you always been into - it?" Kono asked, frowning, not sure what words to use to describe their relationship.

"The lifestyle? The scene?" Steve teased playfully. "Submission."

Kono rolled her eyes at herself and gave a self-deprecating shrug, nodding. "Yeah."

"No," Steve answered honestly. "In fact until Danny, I'd not been in this kind of relationship before. I sort of, explored submission on the odd occasion, but never to the level Danny helps me reach."

"Does it ever feel weird?" Kono asked, watching him keenly. She'd not seen Steve so animated about a subject before, not unless it involved the Navy or sports.

"Submitting?" Steve said, looking at her before looking over the beach again. "I guess at first it did, especially with Danny. Getting with Danny at all was a huge step for me, never mind adding in the dynamic of submitting to him. You know he just gives me time, gives me plenty of opportunity to talk things over. And it isn't always about him barking out an order and expecting me to obey it. We're both part of this relationship and at times I need him to take control so I ask him to."

"Can't be easy," Kono replied with a small smile.

"No, but that's what makes it work for us. It's never easy, but it's something necessary, for me at least," Steve smiled back at her.

~  
"So, what’s the sex like?" Chin grinned, eyeing Danny closely.

Danny cocked a grin straight back at him, giving a small laugh. "Fucking incredible. Seriously, you know how he's built like an Adonis. Well imagine lying that god like body out on your bed and getting to play with it every fucking night, offering himself up to you, submitting and trying to accept everything you do to blow his mind. It's a mind fuck Chin and he's so receptive to any idea. Kind of scary the trust he puts in me at times, but I make sure to try and make it incredible for him and that’s what makes it so satisfying, seeing him just give up resisting and going with it. You know when you go down on a woman, or just finger her and hit that spot where she's just shaking and moaning with pleasure, completely lost to it - that feeling you get, the power trip being able to do that to her, for her, with just your touch?"

Chin nods slowly, swallowing at the dryness suddenly in his throat, trying to fight the stab of jealousy in his gut. It's been a while since his sex life resembled anything like that but he understands Danny's enthusiasm. 

Danny grins and points to himself with enviable pleasure, "Every fucking time."

Chin finds he's glad he and Danny are having this conversation privately because he's not sure he could look Steve in the eye after he heard himself being described in such detail. But Chin can also easily imagine what Danny describes, because Steve is his best friend and Chin certainly appreciates the attraction, not just physically, but because of the person he is. He can easily conjure up the image of Steve lain out, submitting to Danny's every whim, the kind of mind fuck that would give a person. He can also understand how that would feed Danny's Dominant side and help him be what Steve needs him to be.

~

"So in submitting, what do you have to do?" Kono asks carefully, still unsure how to put her questions in a way that isn't disrespectful but at the same time understandable. "Like, does Danny expect different things, behaviours or - whatever?"

She gives up on the question with a frown and swallows back a long drag from her beer. She finds Steve smiling at her flustering and feels instantly at ease.

"He has rules," Steve explains easily. "I'd say for when we 'scene' but sometimes, the dynamic is just there. Like, sometimes I just need to let go and I'm not asking for anything, I just need a 'time out' from life I guess. So I'll call him 'Sir' or 'Master', so he knows I'm getting into my headspace. Usually I'll end up naked most of the time, especially when we are 'scening'. He expects the best of behaviours, like the best of myself, I guess it's to help me be confident in my submission, because it's not about weakness or being meek and mild. Then it's just a case of following directions the best I can. He pushes my limits, tests myself control but he also lets me talk it out if I can't handle something. Trust and communication are the key aspects when you come right down to it."

"What happens if you break the rules, misbehave or do something he doesn't approve of?" Kono asks warily, because she's honestly curious and slightly disbelieving that Steve could submit to that side of what little she knows of the 'lifestyle' when it comes to 'discipline'.

A smile edges Steve's lips at the question, watching her carefully and she wonders if she's overstepped the mark. But he's been honest in everything else and he and Danny wanted them to ask. She'd be lying if she didn't ask and just lived with the curiosity, even if he didn't want to answer.

"The submissive role comes with its fair share of moments where you will end up with a spanked ass," Steve admits with a laugh. "And Danny is a strict Dom, because he knows what I'm capable of and won't let me be any less than my best. So if that means doling out a spanking or several, then it happens."

"Seriously?!" Kono exclaims again, surprised and finding herself a little uncomfortable with the idea. "But, doesn't that - how do you deal with the aftermath of that? How does that work for your relationship? Doesn't it wedge something between you - I mean, he's hurting you. Purposefully. Even if he has your permission through your submission to do it."

Steve sits up and gazes at her intently, not offended by her reaction. Instead he looks at her solemnly.

"You want to know how Danny and I ended up together. We were both at a party at Rick's. Separately. At the time neither of us knew the other was into the lifestyle, we knew each other and we knew there was chemistry there between us but I didn't know he was into Dominating and I wasn't ready to even face the feelings I had about submission. Anyway, I was at the party because I'd known Rick for a time and had been going to him for a specific purpose. I went to Rick for, well, punishment. Only it's not really punishment, it's something that releases me Kono, from - guilt. I'm not saying every time Danny spanks me it's to release me from guilt but sometimes it is. I accept its part of my submission; it's something I enjoy, at least in some weird way. At the same time I hate it, but more because I know usually it's because I've failed him, myself or us, in some way. Yes it hurts and yes, it means I have to dig deep into my submission but it also frees me in a way I can't explain. And it's hard for him, to do that to me, because he doesn't 'want' to hurt me, he doesn't do it to hurt me, but he knows it helps me. It helps me learn, helps me grow. It helps me accept who he is in my life as my Dom. I know it's hard for you to understand, because you aren't in this kind of relationship and that's okay. But let me assure you, it does nothing but deepen our relationship and cement our roles in each other’s lives as Dominant and submissive."

"Really?" Kono asks wariness in her tone because she's not sure she entirely understands how it could work. But Steve is looking back at her with an open expression, nodding his head and she figures she may not agree with it, but if it works for him and he's happy, then she can be happy for him.

~

"Have you guys been okay?" Chin asks after a silent pause. "After what happened at Richard Steadman’s, hasn't that rocked the boat a little?"

Danny doesn't reply straight away, staring down at his beer bottle, tracing lines through the condensation. "Honestly - it's been a little weird. Together we're great but when it comes to slipping into those roles, we're both holding back on each other. What happened to Kau'i was a fucking nightmare, seeing him trussed up to that rack as he was. And he's our friend Chin, someone we've gotten to know and understand. He's one of the decent guys. And seeing Rick like he is, so unsure of himself, knocked so far sideways - it shows how much he loves Kau'i, probably more than either of us realised. It's just hard, it's something we both want, something we both need but it's also so easy to see how fucked up it could get if we aren't careful. Steve won't talk about it much and there are ways I could get him talking, eventually, but I don't want to force the subject out of him. I'd never force him for anything, even if I can see it's affecting him by bottling up."

"Yeah he's been a little snappy at work," Chin nodded in understanding. "I figured this one hit home a little too close, because they are your friends and because of your relationship. At least I suspected there was something of the lifestyle that was part of your relationship. Just give him space but be careful Danny, he has a tendency to bury things deep, you know that."

"I know, but I need him to want to work through it," Danny shrugged. "I need that myself and right now I'm not sure I can. Maybe once the case is wrapped up I can have a clearer head about it."

"You know, letting Steve deal with this as he is may be the best thing for now," Chin pointed out. "And you seem confident enough to see if he needs to be 'nudged' in a direction if he starts barricading himself in and shutting you out."

Before Danny could reply, Kono and Steve appeared in the living room, Kono giving Danny a rather knowing smile. Steve leaned down over the back of Danny's chair, arms wrapping round his chest as he pressed a kiss to his neck gently.

"Would you mind if I showed Kono the toy cupboard?" he whispered quietly.

Danny sensed a submissive tone to the question and was warmed by it, patting his arm gently with a nod of agreement. "Sure, no problem babe. Just keep it tidy."

Steve pulled away and Kono was already giggling and heading eagerly for the stairs.

"Where they going?" Chin asked, watching them go upstairs, Steve shaking his head at Kono's playful excitement.

"Your cuz' must have been asking the right questions because she's off to see the 'box of tricks'," Danny laughed. "That woman scares me sometimes."

"The two of them are as bad as each other," Chin pointed out. "You know you should be careful, let them hang out too much and Steve may start giving you more headaches than it's worth."

"Steve I can handle," Danny snorted in reply. "But I would pity any Dom who took on Kono Kalakaua."

"What makes you think she wouldn't be Dominating," Chin grinned, propping his feet up on the table.

Danny shrugged in thought. "I guess maybe because she and Steve are so alike. I think if she trusted herself enough to try it, she may find and get something out of it. It isn't for everyone I suppose and she'd have to find the right person, but I think her curiosity is a little telling."

Chin agreed with a sigh. "Yeah, I guess I can see that."

~

 

Kono eyed the open door of the bedroom with a sly smile and looked back at Steve who was getting the key from the wardrobe.

"You sure this okay?" She asked, drawing closer.

"What, you afraid you're breaking some sacred rules?" Steve shot back playfully. "It's fine Kono, I'm okay with it and so is Danny. Just don't mess it up too much, Danny is a stickler for its being kept tidy."

"Ha, really?" Kono said disbelieving as Steve unlocked the door.

"Yes, really," Steve replied sternly, looking her in the eye. "Believe me my ass will testify to that fact. And honestly, you make fun of one thing in here or make some stupid comment; I'm putting you on desk duty for a month."

Kono put on a serious face, belied by the smile dancing on her lips and in her eyes as Steve opened the cupboard door to reveal the contents. Kono elbowed him away gently to get a better look, sucking down a small snort before blowing out an appreciative whistle.

"Well isn't this a little cubby of treasures," she grinned, fingers dancing over the leather paddle hanging on the hook of the door. "All my wardrobe does is take me to Narnia."

Steve reached out and nipped her in the side, making her wriggle with a laugh. 

"Hey, sorry, I'm sorry, I'll be serious," she laughed, holding up her hands in surrender.

Steve shook his head at her, rolling his eyes with a smile as she looked inside again.

"Come on brah, honestly," She said, reaching in and pulling out a dildo. "You've got enough toys in here to open your own sex shop. Lucky things. What the fuck is that?"

She picked up another item and held it up to him, twisting it this way and that with a curious frown. 

"Prostate massager," Steve said, taking it off her and putting it back. Catching her disturbed look he gave a small laugh. "Don't worry, everything gets cleaned and sterilised."

"Fuck that," Kono replied, letting out a deep breath and trying to use her words "Why would you? - what does - why? Has he used it on you?"

"Yeah once or twice," Steve nodded. 

"Does it give better orgasms or something?" Kono asked without hesitation.

For some reason having this conversation with her boss didn't feel too intimate or private. Steve had opened up a whole new side of himself to her and she was curious and happy to be his confidante. She felt comfortable enough to ask the sex questions without feeling awkward about it.

"Actually Danny uses it to prevent orgasms," Steve pointed out. "Along with that."

He pointed to his chastity belt hanging on a hook by the paddle, telling Kono what it was and gauging her reaction carefully.

"Wow," Kono said, eyebrows getting higher on her forehead as she processed that information. "Really? And you like it?"

Steve thought about the question and gave a small nod as he shrugged. "Yes and no. I like the submissive state it puts me in, but it can be frustrating. But that's part of the process, overcoming the frustration by submitting."

"So does it happen often? You're not being allowed, you know, to come?" Kono asked, leaning against the side of the wardrobe, a little fascinated with everything Steve was telling her.

"Depends on how much we're playing and what we want to work through," Steve said, leaning opposite her, the cupboard open between them.

Kono gave him a small smile, enjoying how relaxed he seemed to get talking about all of this. She couldn't figure if it was because it helped him tap into his submissiveness or because it was a relief for him to be open about this part of his relationship with Danny.

"Okay that thing prevents you orgasming," Kono said, poking into the cupboard again. "So what makes you explode with pleasure?"

"Apart from Danny?" Steve joked, leaning into the cupboard.

Kono lifted her head and grinned wickedly. "That good huh?"

"You have no fucking idea," Steve laughed, reaching in and pulling out a vibrating probe. "But I guess this would be the next best thing. Because Danny isn't just my Dom but a fucking pleasure torturer, especially wielding that as a weapon."

 

He flicked it on with a grin, showing her the small settings dial attached, a series of speeds or a mixer button to variate the speeds intermittently. He pressed it against her wrist gently to feel the vibrations.

"Imagine being lain out on the bed, tied up," Steve said in low a consipiratory tone. "This slid deep inside you to tease you senseless while you’re played with, nipples teased, skin brushed with fingers or lips. Or not even played with or touched, just bound to the bed while this vibrates in you, knowing your every reaction, move, moan is being watched and listened too. You’re just waiting for permission to come and you're not even sure you'll be allowed. You don't know how long it will last, or if you'll be able to follow orders but all you have to do is surrender and trust. That's all. Seriously, some of the best fucking orgasms I've ever had."

 

Kono stared open mouthed, lost for words at the image Steve conjured and more than appreciative of the description. He made it sound thrilling and exciting but something about it made her nervous, the idea of surrender, giving up the control. She had toys galore in her beside drawer but she could control when she fell, nobody and nothing else. The probe still vibrated against her skin and she shivered, pulling her hand away.

She jumped, flushing slightly when Danny entered the room.

"Hey kids, you having fun," he teased, coming over to them. 

Steve grinned at him, flicking off the probe and putting it back in the cupboard as Kono composed herself.

"Well, you like it?" Danny grinned, giving Kono a soft nudge.

"As I was saying to Steve, you two could open a sex shop with that thing," Kono replied lightly, pushing aside the strange feeling starting to rise within her.

Steve closed the door, locked the cupboard and placed the key safely back on top of the wardrobe before Danny slid an arm about his waist with a slightly possessive air. He smiled over at Kono who leaned against the wardrobe again, liking how the two of them fit together, how she could pick up on different things now that she understood their relationship a little more ineptly.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Danny said, looking at Steve closely. 

"Surprisingly more open that I thought," Steve replied, motioning to himself. "Look at me being all grown up."

"Yeah, right," Danny rolled his eyes and looking at Kono with a soft smile. "You okay Kono? Anything you wanted to ask me about?"

"No actually," Kono said shaking her head. "Steve's been pretty open about you two. Thanks by the way, you know you don't owe us any explanation or anything. Chin and me, we're just happy you guys are happy."

She sighed, looking about the bedroom with a tender expression in her eyes. They came to rest on the desk where a black box rested. Sucking in a breath she gave a shrug of her shoulders and stood straighter.

"You know, Chin will be getting worried we've started an orgy or something up here," she laughed, turning for the door. "Maybe we should get back to him before he feels neglected."

Steve gave Danny a squeeze before beginning to follow, pulling out of his hold before Danny caught him by the arm and pulled him back to him.

"Hey, I'm proud of you," Danny grinned, pulling him in for a swift kiss. "I thought this may have been harder for you than it seems to have been."

"Like I said, surprisingly easy," Steve smiled, not resisting being kissed by his lover.

"And she's okay? Comfortable with everything?" Danny asked with a slight concern.

"She seemed a little put off when we talked about discipline but I get why," Steve shrugged. "She doesn't want me hurt and she'd hate to think it somehow affected our relationship in a negative way. Is Chin okay?"

"He's good," Danny nodded with a grateful sigh. "He's concerned for you but only because he cares. He's happy that this helps you and of course he's supportive of us."


	10. Chapter 10

When they re-joined Chin and Kono they found them with fresh beers in their hands, Kono stretched out on the sofa beside Chin. They sat quietly, happy and comfortable in each other’s company to be silent and contemplative. Danny set a box down on the table and nudged it towards them before settling into his chair. Steve smiled and sat on the floor by Danny's chair, leaning back against his knees. Kono noted it was the box from the desk in the bedroom.

"What's this?" Chin asked, eyeing the box and then the two.

"Open it," Danny suggested with a shrug and a smile.

Chin went to pick it up but Kono grabbed it first, setting down her beer as she swung her legs down from the couch. She slowly opened it and smiled widely as she eyed the collar nestled inside. She showed Chin who also smiled appreciatively.

"Well, if I needed any proof you guys were serious," Chin admitted with a nod towards them. "I guess that's it."

"It's a lovely piece guys," Kono exclaimed, delicately lifting it out for closer inspection. She cast a flickering look in Danny's direction as she did so but he didn't seem bothered by her touching. She weighed it in her palms as she unfurled it. "It's so light."

It looked old but the silver buckle, eyelets and tag were polished like new. She looked closer at the tags inscription - 'Owned by Daniel Williams' and stared a moment. She was beginning to realise just how deep into the 'lifestyle' Steve and Danny were. It didn't make her uncomfortable, but it brought about fresh questions, ones she didn't want to ask directly. They were more questions she asked about herself and her own life, especially when it came to relationships. She hadn't ever had a relationship where she loved someone as much as Steve and Danny evidently loved each other and that love had developed in such a short time. She admitted part of her was jealous of the relationship, not in a bad way, but it still caused a slight melancholy inside. 

She curled the collar back up gently and placed it back in the box carefully before closing it and setting it back on the table. Sitting back she ignored Chin's gaze, he read her too well at times and she really wasn't in the mood to deal with his silent questions.

~~

"Well, I think tonight went well," Danny said, wandering into the bedroom to join Steve, watching as he stripped off.

"Yeah," Steve agreed, tossing his clothes into the laundry basket and heading for the bed.

Danny lingered a moment, watching as Steve slid under the sheets, barely looking at him as he turned onto his side. Danny walked over to the desk, setting down the box containing Steve's collar onto it. His fingers itched to take it out and wrap it gently around Steve's throat where it belonged but since the attack on Kau'i, they'd not even ventured a step into their roles as Dom and sub. The situation confused Danny, he wanted to be there for Steve and evidently Steve was finding things difficult to deal with from their lifestyle point of view. But Danny didn't want to push him into a place where he barricaded himself off and pulled away. So he'd done nothing, only he still felt Steve was distancing himself and getting lost in the process.

He turned and was surprised to find Steve watching him intently, propped up by an elbow. His eyes drifted from Danny to linger on the box at his fingertips.

"Been a while since I wore that," Steve mused. Danny couldn't remember, it had been a week, maybe longer. Too long he figured, but then he thought he was biased. If he could have his way Steve would wear it permanently. Not because Danny was overly possessive and was always wanting to play the Dominant in Steve's life twenty four seven, but because of how perfect Steve looked wearing it.

Danny shrugged, blowing out a breath as he gave a slight nod. "Yeah, it has."

"You know talking with Chin and Kono tonight," Steve said, twisting round and pushing up to sit against the headboard. "I thought that would have been weird, but instead it felt good to talk about it, share this part of us with them. You know it's the first time since the attack on Kau'i I let myself think about submission again. It's been hard Danny, real hard."

"I know," Danny nodded in agreement. "It's not been an easy time for any of us. What happened to Kau'i and Rick was a double blow for us, not only because they are our friends. But because of the nature of the attack, the vulnerability of it and the helplessness."

"It got me questioning if I really wanted this," Steve admitted, eyes dropping from Danny's like he's ashamed. "If it's real or just some game we're playing. Not us but the lifestyle part of us."

Danny was taken aback by the admission. He looked down at his feet, feeling suddenly cold and feeling slightly nauseous. "Oh," he replied, hands sliding into his pockets. "I see."

He knew Steve was having trouble dealing with his submissive side after what had happened but questioning if it was even real, if what they'd been doing has been merely an elaborate game of pleasure? Danny felt his pride crumbling and he wasn't sure how to react. Because for him it was real, palpable, something he treasured and cared about so hard it hurt sometimes. How could Steve question that?

An uncomfortable silence lingered between them and Danny couldn't look at his lover, not right then. He escaped into the bathroom, closing the door and leaning back against it, sucking in a deep breath. It was okay, Steve wasn't breaking up with him, but he was questioning parts of their relationship. That was what couples do. So why did he feel like Steve had run him through with a red hot poker?

It took him a few minutes to calm himself out of a rising panic. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and told himself to get a grip. Splashing cold water onto his face he patted off with a towel, swallowed down the lump in his throat and braved opening the door to go get ready for bed. He was greeted with the sight of Steve on his knees in the middle of the room, bowed low to the ground, an entire form of submission. It took his breath away, made his heart throb hard and fast in his chest and he just stared for a long moment.

Steve was tense and nervous and Danny could tell how difficult it was for him right then. They'd been walking on eggshells and avoiding this part of them too long for it not to affect their roles. Usually in such a position Steve's entire presence would be seeped in submission and seeing him so tense made Danny's heart tighten because Steve may be finding it difficult but he wasn't resisting that part of him that was so natural and honest.

"Up, Steve," Danny said in a strangled breath. "You can sit up."

Steve glided up and settled as he'd been taught, lifting his face to expose his long, slender neck, eyes lowered in respect to his Dom. He was still tense and nervous and Danny fell to his knees before him, framed his face with his hands and pulled him in for a soft, warm kiss.

"Talk to me babe," Danny urged gently against his lips. "I need to know what you need right now."

"I feel like I'm struggling Danny," Steve replied as Danny kept his hands on his face, making him look at him. "I just, I just need to take things slow right now. I know I'm not in the right place to give you everything you may expect but I want to show you I want this. What I said before, I didn't mean I doubted what we have Danny, just that I'd been struggling with those doubts. But I know I want this, when Kono got the collar out tonight, I just wanted you to put it on me. I needed that. It feels like it's been so long."

"I know, I know," Danny nodded in agreement. "It's been hard and I don't want to push things right now. Neither of us are ready yet and maybe it's best we take things easy until we get this case over and done with."

"I'm fine with slow and easy," Steve admitted with a small nod. He paused and stared into Danny's eyes with a hopeful, yearning expression. "But do you think I could wear the collar while we figure out what that means for us?"

"Fuck babe yes, of course," Danny smiled, pulling him in for another kiss. It's deeper and satisfying this time, the way Steve let's his lips be toyed and teased with as Danny controls their connection. When he pulled away, Steve's eyes flickered down and he settled back on his knees in his reposed position as Danny stood to get the collar.

Danny picked it out of the box and ran it through his fingers gently as it unfurled, turning back to his sub. Steve was nervous, shifting a little on his knees and Danny could see how much he needed this, needed something to anchor him to his submission, to help calm and assure him of his doubts and fears. Coming to stand in front of his partner, Danny brushed a thumb over his lips with a smile.

"Do you know why I like you to kiss your collar before I place it on you?" Danny asked him gently.

"Because you want me to show my respect to it," Steve replied, lips brushing against the pad of Danny's thumb as it was held there.

"This collar is my gift to you, a promise of commitment," Danny calmly told him. "I like seeing these beautiful lips bestowing something on it that usually only I get to feel and accept. Your kiss is a sign of acceptance and respect, an act of your submission. From now on I won't order a kiss from you, it should be something you willingly and freely give, as you do of yourself when you get on your knees for me. I will always give you the opportunity to show me that, all I demand is your honesty in return Steve. There may be times you wish to wear the collar but you aren't in a good place with your submission, you may even feel resistant when I want to put it on you. You need to be honest about that with me so we can work on it. When you feel that way but you can't tell me, you can show me by withholding the kiss. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Yes Sir, I understand," Steve replied, lifting his eyes up to look at Danny directly to convey that understanding.

Danny smiled, pulling his hand away from Steve's face and taking the collar in both hands, holding it out to him. Steve leaned forward a little and pressed a delicate kiss to the soft leather, lips brushing where Danny's fingers held the collar. Danny leaned down, wrapping the collar snugly about his subs throat, tying it securely before letting his fingers run through his hair.

"You won't be wearing it long tonight babe," he warned him softly. "It's getting late already and we've an early start tomorrow."

"I know, just for a little while, please Danny," Steve agreed and Danny pulled him to his feet.

"Is this all you need for now?" Danny asked him, unsure how far or how willing Steve wanted things to go. Danny wasn't even sure how much he could give him tonight but he was willing to try for his lover and submissive.

Steve wrapped his arms around him and though Danny was the smaller of the two, Steve felt vulnerable and needy in his embrace.

"I'm not sure how much I can give into you right now Sir," Steve replied honestly, head resting against Danny's shoulder.

"What do you need baby? Tell me what you want from me," Danny asked him, undemanding as he moved them slowly towards the bed.

"I just need you too," Steve started, pausing as Danny pushed him down to sit on the bed. He looked lost and apprehensive and Danny cupped his face again with his hands, making him look at him. "I need you to remind this part of me who you are."

Danny understood, Steve needed him to assert his dominance but he was fragile and dominance wasn't always about a show of strength and power. Steve needed to see that tender, caring side of his Dom that promised him he could sink into his submission and be looked after by someone he trusted and loved.

"Okay, okay babe," Danny assured him gently with a nod of his head, pulling the sheets down the bed. "Lie down, let me get some things."

He left Steve and went to their cupboard, unlocking it and opening the door. He looked at the contents, wondering how he could assert the dominance his sub needed from him as well as keep it gentle and sweet. He took out some items and returned to the bed where Steve lay tense and edgy. Danny crawled onto the bed, knees bracketing his hips as he straddled him with a smile.

"Give me your hands," Danny told him and Steve held out first one, then the other for Danny to attach a soft pair of cuffs to his wrists. He linked them together with their clasps to prevent Steve from opening his arms. Danny held Steve's cuffed hands in his and gave them a soft squeeze. "You trust me right?"

Steve nodded his reply, watching him carefully for whatever he was going to do next.

"Good, because I'd never do anything to hurt you, I'd never want to do that," Danny replied as he reached down beside him. "I'm going to make love to you pet. I'm going to lie you down beside me and take you because you’re mine, you belong to me. You wear my collar, you submit to my will and all I want right now is to make love to you. All I need you to do is let me do that, submit and give yourself to me. I'm going to blindfold you, so that your focus is just on my touch and how I make you feel when I claim your body. And I'm going to gag you, because I don't want to hear you question or beg, I just need to hear your surrender as I take care for what is mine."

He picked up the ball gag from where it lay beside them and held it in his hands as he spoke. "Do you need to say anything or ask anything before I put this on you? You can tell me now if you don't want this."

Steve's eyes flickered to the side of them before looking back at Danny and swallowing down. "It's okay Sir."

Danny gave a smile, not missing the quick glance at their safety measures. He'd installed the 'bell pull' onto one of the bed posts for when he gagged Steve and especially for the occasions he gagged and blindfolded him. It was rare it was used and Steve wouldn't usually be so eager to remind himself it was there. He didn't mention Steve's searching for it, just leaned down and grasped his jaw gently with his hand, steadying his gaze back on him.

"Don't worry, your safe," Danny told him carefully. "Tonight all I'm going to do is make love to you. The bell is there but trust me okay Steve, just trust me."

"I trust you Danny," Steve said in a small, meek voice. Danny didn't doubt his trust but he wanted Steve focused on him throughout this. Smiling he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Steve's pliant mouth before sitting back. 

"Open up," Danny whispered and pressed the gag against Steve's lips, making them stretch further. He'd opted for their larger ball gag because of the stretch and it allowed sounds to roll from Steve's throat easier than his cock gag. Steve lifted his head to let Danny fasten it securely at the back and Danny sat back with a satisfied look on his face.

He slid off his sub and began to slowly undress, allowing Steve to watch before he was denied his sight. He folded his clothes away neatly, eyes constantly roving over Steve's body or focusing on his face, watching how Steve followed his movements. With a smile Danny tied off a black length of silk bondage rope to a bed post and ordered Steve to roll onto his side in the middle of the bed and stretch out his arms. Steve obeyed and Danny bound Steve's wrist cuffs to the silk tie, enjoying the look as Steve watched him, gagged and bound to the bed. Danny ran the thin bell pull line through his fingers and looped it through the 'o' ring on one of the cuffs so Steve could easily grab it if he really needed without blindly scrambling for it.

Danny had to trust himself that he was getting this right for Steve. He wanted to keep things gentle but controlled and he knew Steve needed to be taken down careful but firm. Danny thought the best way would be to restrict his sub and create a bubble in which Steve had to surrender to him, trusting he'd be taken care of by his Dom. As he looked over the form of his lover a stab of lust twisted in his gut and made his cock twitch with need. They both needed this moment, Danny needed to set free his dominance and how better than to lay claim to the man who had gave himself in total submission to his care, taking care of his subs needs in the process.

As Danny stalked around the bed, looking over his subs body greedy and hungrily, he wrapped a hand around his cock and jacked himself slowly. He stood by the bed, Steve's back to him and watched as his sub waited, a shiver running through his body. Steve shifted and squirmed slightly and other times Danny would have ordered stillness, instilling patience into his pet. But he took pity on him, knowing how much he was struggling and dealing with situations out of their control.

The bed dipped as Danny pulled himself onto it, kneeling by Steve as he picked up the blindfold where he'd left it on the bed. He didn't speak as he lay it over Steve eyes, picking up on the stuttered breath Steve dragged in past the gag and the tension that seeped into his body.

"Sssh, just let me take care of you baby," Danny said, tying off the blindfold and running his hands over Steve's body. "Relax for me."

He ran his hands over Steve's body, following the solid lines of curving muscle over his arms, back. His fingertips skimmed the tightness of his abs and ass and he felt Steve begin to relax again under his touch, surrendering to his Dom's control. Danny pressed a hand firmly against Steve's thigh.

"Bend this leg for me," Danny said gently, guiding Steve's body into a better position to be taken. Steve bent his knee and moved a little more onto his side and Danny made sure his entire form was settled and comfortable again before he did anymore, hands constantly touching his lover. Pulling back he grabbed the lube he'd brought to the bed and slicked up fingers, moving to lie behind Steve, chest pressing firmly against his back as he settled his chin against Steve's neck. "Going to prepare you now pet. Relax and open up for me."

He gently brushed his fingers back and forth against Steve's hole, letting him get used to the sensation and feeling him taking in shaky breaths through his nose. Danny pressed soft kisses to his neck as he began to probe a little firmer, a lone slick finger beginning to enter his sub.

"That's it baby," he continued to whisper intermittently between kisses and caresses of his lips. "Let me in. Just lay still, surrender to it. Let me take care of you, this is what you need from me isn't it?"

As he spoke he edged his finger into Steve's body, slowly pushing in an out and feeling the rings of muscles begin to relax around his digit. Steve stilled, beginning to relax as Danny caressed him and talked to him throughout with a whispering, gentle tone. Danny pulled his finger out and pressed in again with two.

"Going to take more for me pet? I know you can, yeah, good boy," Danny said as his fingers pressed insistently into his lover. Steve squirmed from the touch and Danny smiled against his shoulder as Steve began let himself feel and enjoy. "Shh, try and lay still for me. I know how much you like being touched like this pet; I know how much it makes you want to writhe in pleasure. So instead I want you to lay as still as you can for me while I do this."

Steve let out a soft moan around the gag and Danny shifted his lips to press against his neck, lips brushing against the leather collar of his sub.

"I know pet, I know how much you want to squirm and move," Danny said to him, twisting his fingers, knowing exactly how to touch Steve that would usually have him writhing moaning. Instead he felt the shiver as Steve fought to remain still. "You want to move your hips, grind down on my fingers and fuck yourself on them as I get you ready for my cock. But you aren't going to because I'm not going to let you. I just want you to lay there and surrender to me while I play with you because I can."

He hooked his fingers slightly within his lover’s body and dragged them gently, Steve gave a grunting moan around the gag at the feel and Danny did it again just to hear the muffled sound.

"Yeah that feel good baby?" Danny asked him, watching Steve's fingers twitch uselessly in their bonds. "Shall I keep doing that?"

He did it twice more, nibbling on Steve's earlobe as Steve tensed against him, not holding back on his groans. Danny did it a third time before pulling his fingers free and giving Steve a moment to gather himself. Danny slicked more lube into his palm, grasping his cock and spreading the grease liberally.

"Mmm all right pet," Danny said, wiping his hand against the sheets to rid himself of the grease once he'd lined himself up to Steve hole. He wrapped his arm around Steve's waist tightly. "I got what you need."

He let Steve get used to his cock head just entering his hole, remaining still as Steve adjusted.

"Okay baby," Danny sighed against him, nuzzling his face down into Steve's neck. He relied on his senses, listening to Steve's breathing evening out, the way his body was completely eased in his hold. Confident Steve was relaxing and settling into his sub space, Danny pushed in, one fluid movement of his hips. He took it slow but didn't pause, listening to the keening sounds escaping through the sides of the gag, Steve shifting his head back to him as if needing the connection. Danny was sure he heard the gagged sound of his name being uttered as he pushed himself in to the hilt.

"Good boy, that's it," Danny gasped, Steve's hole tight and firm around his shaft as he stilled, buried balls deep inside his lover. "Fuck Steve yes that feels good."

Steve had tensed again from the sensation of being filled. Danny didn't move, waiting for him to relax again and revelling in the feeling of his cock settled tight and held firm inside him. He pressed his face against Steve's skin, closing his eyes, fingers grasping against Steve's firm stomach. Sure of his hold and not wanting to drive Steve or himself mad with need, he began to slowly grind his hips against Steve, settling into a gentle rhythm, barely pulling out as he began. He didn't speak, instead enjoying the feel and sensation of the gentle fuck, the closeness and soft shivers of pleasure his sub emitted against his body.

Steve made tiny sounds, escaping past the small gaps at the side of his mouth from where the gag stretch his lips open. Danny drank in the sounds, letting them spur him on, Steve completely at his mercy and giving himself wholly to Danny. For a time he took it slow, immersing himself in the build-up of the soft, slow rhythm as he made love to his pet. He could feel the breaths Steve pulled in as he submitted to the gentle claiming; his entire form was one of acceptance and submission.

Danny slid his fingers down, between the bend of Steve's thigh lying against the bed. Steve barely shifted and Danny soothed him with a gentle humming as he took hold of Steve's cock. It was hard and his fingers meaningfully brushed over the tip, feeling the wetness there as he leaked pre cum. Steve moaned louder now, the sound thrumming from his throat as Danny's fingers teased around his cock head, fumbling for a firm grasp.

"Mmm, you have something you need me to take care of pet?" Danny asked teasingly, lifting his head and canting his hips firmly just to hear Steve's stuttering breath in reply.

He pulled his hand away only to reposition his pet so he could get better access. He slid an arm around him again, bent his mouth to Steve's ear.

"Roll back a little against me," he gently ordered and Steve moved as told, Danny still buried inside his body. Danny slid his leg firmly between Steve's to keep himself anchored to him and slid his hand down to shift Steve's bent upper leg. "Lay this leg over mine. Yeah, like that, good boy. God look at you."

He looked over his lover’s body. Steve's arms taught and stretched deliciously away from him, the black silk rope pulled taught between his wrists and the headboard. Because of his bonds his body leaned back against Danny at a slightly odd angle, cock achingly hard and free as he lay his leg back over Danny's as he'd been guided.

Danny took him in hand again, beginning to jack his cock at a slow pace, shifting his hips to match. Steve had fallen silent, sheened with a light sweat as he patiently waited but as Danny began moving again he moaned, face blindly upturned as he moved his head to gain some contact with Danny. But Danny had lifted up, watching with fascination at Steve's reactions.

"Yes pet, let me take care of you," Danny crooned. "Such a good boy lying still while I play. Look at you, you're so fucking beautiful."

Steve groaned and Danny could tell he was pushing him hard, careful not to force him to endure anything. Steve had to find the acceptance of Danny's actions through his own submission. But his sub gave no sign of distress or discomfort as he fucked him and played with him. Danny kept at the lazy pace, enjoying his pet’s wanton need as he lay desperate and aching, pressed against him. Barely perceptible sounds of 'Sir' and 'Master' made their way past the gag robbing his pet of his words.

"You can come when you want to pet," Danny whispered to him gently. "Don't fight the urge; let me see you come undone because of what I do to you."

He leaned down, pressing gentle kisses to Steve's neck and jaw, lips touching any part of Steve's face not covered with straps and the blindfold. He could tell from the sounds being uttered that Steve was close, mewling desperate sounds, so close to pleasure. Danny didn't speed up to help his sub fall; Steve would find his way, even though the gentle, slow teasing’s of his Masters touch.

"Close aren't you pet?" Danny said, knowing how words worked as well as touch and bondage on Steve. "So close, desperate to fall over that edge. I can hear it in the sounds your making, feel it in your body. Come on baby, come for me."

He could make out the soft 'please please please' mantra through Steve's stretched and gagged mouth.

"Come on baby, come on," Danny urged gently, "Let me see you."

There were more desperate sounds, the ragged dragged in breaths as Steve gave in to Danny's persistent gentleness. Then Danny felt the tensing tremor, the shudder running through Steve's entire frame as he came. A strangled sound and the feel of pulsing cock in his palm as the pleasure rippled through him. Muscles spasmed around his cock and Danny let out a breath at the feel, smiling against Steve's skin as he moaned gently through his orgasm.

"Good boy," Danny petted, milking his cock of every drop. "Good boy. Fuck you feel good pet."

As Steve's body became more pliant and heavy, sucking in deep breaths of satisfaction, Danny pushed him to roll onto his side again. Danny planted his knee between Steve's legs as he lifted up for better leverage, one hand propped into the mattress and the other on Steve's hip as he began to fuck him harder than before. Steve moaned but didn't move, entirely submissive to Danny's newfound energy. The sight of his sub bound, gagged and blindfolded beneath him drove Danny on, that dominant streak within him rising up as he rode on the wave of Steve’s submission to him.

"Fuck, fuck pet look at you," Danny growled, "Fuck Steven, yes pet, this is what you need."

His orgasm hit him fast and hard, a final thrust as he buried himself deep, jarring his hips as he emptied inside his lover with a deep claiming growl.

After a few moments he carefully pulled out, gently moving to Steve's side. He ran his hands over Steve's body as he just lay breathing heavy on the bed, entire frame relaxed and heavy with satisfaction. Danny gently untied his wrist straps, rubbing his fingers gently into his wrists where they'd been bound.

"Roll over," Danny whispered, following Steve as he obeyed, lying down by him, before warning him softly, “Blindfold first."

He slipped the blindfold off and Steve closed his eyes to the muted light, slowly opening and closing as he got used to seeing again. Danny tenderly unlatched the gag and pulled it away, kissing along his jaw as Steve shifted his mouth a little to relieve the ache.

"How do you feel?" Danny asked, lying close, propped up on an elbow as he looked at Steve closely. "You okay?"

Steve looked at him, complete ease and trust reflected in them, as well as the tell-tale signs of submission. "Yeah better. Just what I needed Sir."

Danny smiled, kissing him again, well aware how careful he needed to be whilst Steve floated in his submissive headspace.

"I'm going to get a cloth and clean you up a little,” Danny told him. "Then sleep okay pet?"

“‘K'" Steve said, sinking further into the mattress. 

Danny retrieved the cloth, rolling Steve over to rub between his ass and checking him at the same time for any pain or damage. He didn't expect any but he was always careful to check any way. He tossed the cloth into the laundry basket and pulled the sheets up from where they'd been pushed to the bottom of the bed. He lay down again, Steve curling into him, an arm around his waist as he settled his head on Danny's shoulder. They lay silently for a while and Danny suspected Steve was falling asleep. His fingers gently itched at the collar still around Steve's neck.

"Babe, we need to take this off," Danny told him quietly.

"Not just yet, please Danny," Steve mumbled against him, shifting closer and tighter into him.

"I don't want to fall asleep forgetting," Danny told him softly. "You're almost asleep now any way. Look, we've a free day tomorrow so far, so there's no rush to be anywhere or do anything. You can have it back on first thing in the morning."

"Okay," Steve huffed lifting only a little for Danny to fumble at the fastening. 

He slipped it off easily and leaned over his lover to lay it gently on the bedside cabinet, "Go to sleep babe," he said as he lay back down, Steve shifting close again.

"Y's Sir," Steve replied under his breath.


	11. Chapter 11

In the morning Danny woke up to find Steve gone, the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. He checked the time, eyes catching on the collar where he'd lain it the evening before. With a smile he rolled over and picked it up, running it through his fingers before he studied the tag. It was looking a little dull and he made a mental note to check over the toy cupboard to see what else needed polishing up. The shower turned off and he waited for Steve to appear, wondering what mood he was in after the evening before. A few minutes later he appeared hair damp and unkempt and a satisfied smile on his face. Danny was relieved; having feared perhaps he'd regretted how far things had gone, so soon after so long without.

"Morning," Steve grinned, naked and heading for the bed to lean over and give him a kiss.

"Hi," Danny replied with a smile, returning the kiss as he sat up.

Steve's eyes came to rest on the collar still in his hands and looked back up at him with a hopeful expression.

"Here," Danny handed it to him as he swung his legs off the bed. "It needs to be cleaned and polished first. You can do that while I shower and shave. If you're done and in your offering position by the time I'm finished, you can have it back on."

Steve smiled eagerly and took it off him as he stood up, turning to go to the toy cupboard where they kept the cleaning items also.

"I don't want a rush job babe," Danny said over his shoulder. "You know how I expect it to be done."

He'd been slowly introducing rules on how every item of the toy cupboard was to be cleaned. The collar had been the first, with the paddles following. It was a discipline he wanted to instil to help his sub respect each and every item they used together. He was careful not to bombard Steve too quickly but eventually he hoped to test his pet by setting him the task of cleaning the cupboard out on a regular basis. In the right order and in the correct way with the highest of standards. He and Steve had talked about it and Steve was as eager as ever about the idea of it.

As Danny showered Steve unlocked the cupboard, got out what he needed and locked it back up again. Going to the desk he laid out a cloth, lying the collar out over it. Sitting down he took another cloth, dabbing it lightly with leather oil and rubbed the cloth gently in circles along the leather of the collar. It was a relaxing task and reminded him of the many hours he spent polishing his boots until they shone for uniform drills. Or taking care of his kit, each piece carefully cared for and looked after. It was rare he rubbed the oil into the collar but because it was old leather it helped keep it protected from wear and tear.

He smiled as he methodically worked. Even the rubbing had to be carefully done, an instilled discipline from Danny. Left to right, small circular movements, clockwise. Then rub back right to left with clean, oil free part of the cloth to ensure any excess oil was lifted. Flipping the collar over he did the same on the other side. Satisfied with that part he turned it again and took up the metal polish and a different cloth. First the buckle and fastener, ensuring a shine. Then the eyes, delicate work because of their size. Finally the tag. Turn over, repeat the process. Sitting back he checked over his work, making sure the metal had a shine, no excess oil was left on the leather. He left it out on the cloth, making sure to leave the cleaning products neatly to one side. It wasn't beyond Danny to insist it be done again if he wasn't satisfied. When he'd first began instilling the discipline of cleaning the collar and other toys, Steve had had to repeat the tasks many times until Danny was happy with the results. Steve knew it was to instil patience as well as the repetitiveness to remembering each process. He didn't mind, naturally used to aiming to such high standards. And the focus of each task kept his mind off other things.

But he hoped Danny wasn't in that mood today and stood, pushed the chair back into its position at the desk and went to the foot of the bed. Yesterday, when he'd gotten to his knees it had been as if a weight had lifted. It had been difficult but he'd stopped fighting the frustrations and went with his gut instinct. Thankfully Danny had known what he needed.

Getting to his knees was much easier this time, he didn't feel apprehensive as he stretched out his arms, lowering right down, face to the floor as he waited for Danny to finish in the bathroom. Danny wasn't much longer and he listened to him exit the bathroom and pad past him lightly to the desk. He tried not to shift or move as he waited for his Dom to scrutinise his work and give him his appraisal. Danny didn't say anything right away and left him waiting, moving away from the desk and Steve had to endure an impatient few minutes as Danny dressed for the day. He tried not to let the tension flood his body or move with his impatience, wondering how much more he could prostrate himself to his Dom in hopes he'd pay him some attention.

Finally the command to rise came and he had to take in a breath to slow himself before he sat bolt upright out of eagerness. Instead he raised up gracefully and settled into the position expected of him, hoping his lines were straight. Steve knew he was a little off lately because he'd been struggling with this submissive part of himself in the last few days, but he hoped Danny could see he was trying to overcome those struggles. He kept his eyes lowered but felt Danny near him, a calming presence as he breathed and waited. Danny stayed silent but there was movement and the collar came into view, held lightly before him and he leaned over a little to press a kiss to the freshly buffed leather. A few seconds later the softness enveloped his throat and Danny's fingers brushed against his skin as the collar was secured.

"Come on, breakfast," Danny said with a soft squeeze of his shoulder. Steve stood and Danny ran fingers down his torso playfully. "You want to dress now or are you okay being naked for a little while?"

Steve looked at him and realised Danny was being careful with his control right now, ensuring he was comfortable with how things played along. Steve appreciated the delicacy his Dom was portraying, touched by the thought.

"I'm good for now," Steve assured him.

Danny smiled, quite happy for him to be naked all day if he had his way. He pulled him in for a quick kiss. "Okay, good. I want you comfortable okay? So if I'm pushing things too fast or you aren't into anything -."

"I'll tell you Danny," Steve assured him.

They went downstairs and into the kitchen. Steve went to empty the dishwasher but Danny paused him with a hand on his arm.

"Here," Danny said, pulling him to the corner by the door and the small kitchen table. "I want you in your meditation pose."

Steve looked at him in slight surprise but Danny just waited as he thought about it. It was unusual and Steve couldn't figure out why Danny was insisting on it but after a long pause he knelt down in the spot Danny had put him in. He settled on his knees, straightened his back, settled his palms on his thighs and bowed his head. As he knelt he listened to Danny moving around the kitchen, opening cupboards, the fridge, setting things out on the bench.

"Why do you have a meditation pose Steve?" Danny asked him after a long pause of silence.

"You like me to reflect and think about my submission Sir," Steve replied after a pause of thought.

"And why do you think I like you to do that pet?" Danny continued.

"Because it helps me embrace it and understand it, how it makes me feel and how it affects my life Sir," Steve answered honestly.

"Things have been difficult the past week," Danny said thoughtfully. "For the both of us. How do feel about your submission right now?"

"I thought it was going to be harder, because of what's happened. I was afraid of it, like I was making myself too vulnerable if I submitted. But instead it's what I need. It's what we both need. It isn't that I need to let go or hide from anything, but submitting is like, giving myself a chance to breathe you know? Before all the madness and stress and action starts again. Submitting to you, it grounds me Danny."

He listened as Danny moved again, plates chinking as he walked from the kitchen bench to the table, setting the plates down and pulling out a seat for himself.

"Come and sit down babe," Danny told him, waiting for him to stand and take a seat by him. It was a simple breakfast, neither of them very hungry after the night before when they'd stuffed themselves with kebabs, beers and snacks. They picked at the fruit Danny had sliced up for them to share. Steve gave a smile as he thought on the night before and Danny nudged him with his knee playfully.

"What?" Danny pressed for information on what was going on in his head.

"I was just thinking about Chin and Kono," Steve replied, leaning against the table. "What they must be thinking about what goes on between us."

Danny gave a small laugh, "Yeah especially after you showed Kono the toy cupboard. That woman already had a healthy imagination when it comes to sex."

Steve laughed himself, chewing on a slice of melon. "Chin wasn't too weirded out was he?"

Danny shook his head and looked at him firmly, reaching over to brush his fingers along his jaw. "He just wanted to make sure you were comfortable and happy. When I assured him of that he seemed happy enough for us. Even got a little bit out of me about what you're like in bed. And I don't like kiss and telling all that much."

"It's nice that they know," Steve smiled. "Not that it was important that they did."

"No I know," Danny agreed. "They don't need all the details but it's nice they know a little about it and accept it for what it is."

They fell silent, enjoying each other’s company as they picked at their shared breakfast.

"What do you want to do today?" Danny asked finally as they finished up.

"Let’s get out of here, go for a drive somewhere," Steve suggested. "We can take the boards with us, see where we end up."

"Okay," Danny agreed with a smile. "Sounds like a plan."

He stood up and Steve went to follow but Danny stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. 

"Back on your knees if you're finished babe," he said gently.

"You don't want help?" Steve frowned, looking up at him. There was a look of expectancy in Danny's eyes as he waited for him to move.

"I want you on your knees," Danny repeated, firmer this time.

Steve moved to the spot Danny had kneel at before, settling into his waiting position because Danny hadn't instructed any other specific pose.

Danny picked up the plates and ran them under the faucet, resting them to one side as he emptied the dishwasher. As he moved about he could keep an eye on Steve kneeling patiently in his place. Danny had decided not to be overbearing in his orders and instructions, but implementing small measures of his submission he thought would help Steve focus and become comfortable once more after struggling the last week.

As he finished up he looked over at his sub, Steve may have been silently questioning his motives but he was becoming more and more eased in his position. Danny couldn't help but feel warmed by it, only a day or two ago he was worrying he was in some way losing this part of them. All he needed to do now was slowly build on it again. He was reluctant himself to do certain things, their evening before he'd been nervous as he'd bound and gagged him. But he'd been determined to be gentle and focused on helping Steve embrace his submission again.

"Go upstairs and tidy away the cleaning stuff on the desk, then wait for me to come up," Danny said, gentle but firm with him as he finished up.

Steve seemed zoned out at first and Danny wondered if he'd heard him, but Steve eventually got to his feet and left the kitchen with a soft 'yes Sir' in reply. Danny sighed, he'd like nothing better than imposing a day of submission on his sub but he knew it was too much too soon and Steve wasn't ready for that kind of restriction. Gentle and slow was the way to handle him right now. Danny looked out of the window, it was a clear day, sun already climbing the sky and Steve was right, they just needed to spend some time together relaxing and enjoying themselves without rules and restraint. But they could perhaps have a little fun before they left. Danny didn't deny his feelings on how much of a turn on it was to see Steve walking around the house naked save for the black strip of leather around his neck. Or on his knees waiting for his next command. Danny had begun getting hard and feeling stirrings of desire for him since he'd put the collar back on him that morning.

Steve locked the cupboard again, made sure to put the key back in its rightful place before he knelt by the bed waiting once more. He'd barely heard Danny ordering him upstairs, he'd zoned out, enjoying the submissive headspace that had seeped in from merely kneeling in wait for his Dominant. It had been a long time since he'd floated in his subspace. The night before had opened it back up to him again, the gag, the blindfold and the tight, anchoring pull of the bonds holding him to the bed. Danny wrapped around him, giving him what he needed. He felt his cock twitch at the memory, the way his submission had flooded him as Danny had spoken and held him, letting him let go in the safe confines of the dominance he barricaded him with.

He swallowed down, feeling the collar shift from the act. The tag was a slightly heavy presence against the hollow of his throat. He wanted to lift his hand and run his fingers gently against it but he didn't. What if Danny found him out of position? He swallowed down and breathed heavy again, just to feel the pull and shift of the collar and tag, giving a soft smile of enjoyment. He heard the tell-tale creaking of the floorboards in the hall and held himself still and steady for Danny's arrival. He could see him if he looked out of the corner of his eye but he kept his focus on the floor just beyond his knees and waited.

"Do you want to head straight out?" Danny asked, coming to him and running his hand over his hair gently. Steve enjoyed the touch and remembered Danny was keeping things easy going for now and he appreciated the thought behind that. "Or would you mind if we play a little?"

Steve swallowed down again to settle his nerves as he felt fission of expectation shiver up his spine. "What did you have in mind Sir?" he asked carefully. He knew there were certain things he wasn't ready for, but considering how well Danny had handled him the evening before, he trusted it wouldn't be too much.

"I've wanted you on your knees this morning to help you refocus on your submission. I hope that’s been working for you," Danny replied, sliding his fingers down his face, though Steve didn't shift in his position any. Danny liked him to keep still no matter what his hands were doing. "I know it's been working out for me. I've been hard for you since I came out of the bathroom and found you waiting this morning."

His fingers trailed further down and Steve pulled in a breath as they gentled against the collar around his neck, moving along it, a whispering touch against his skin. They pulled up again and dragged against his lips.

"I was thinking I'd use this pretty mouth to make things a little more comfortable for myself," Danny informed him. "If you want to play pet?"

Danny knew Steve enjoyed having his mouth fucked and it was one of the easiest ways to ground him in his submission and Danny in his dominance, Danny had found. But this was all more than merely getting a few kicks and Danny needed to be sure Steve was happy how things were going until he could trust he was reading him properly again. He felt Steve's breath ghost over his fingertips and waited for his reply.

"I'd like to play Sir," Steve answered honestly and Danny leaned down, fingers sliding under his chin to tip his face up so he could look him in the eyes.

"You sure Steve?" Danny asked, making sure he wasn't floating too much and unaware of his actions.

"Yes Sir," Steve replied quickly with a small smile and hint of eagerness.

"Move back towards the bed, but remain on your knees," Danny ordered firmly as he stood again.

As Steve shifted back to kneel at the foot of the bed, Danny retrieved his cuffs and two strips of black bondage rope. He tied off a strip of rope to a bed post and ordered Steve to give him his hand where he secured the cuff around his wrist. He slid the rope through the cuff and pulled it tight, binding Steve's hand to the bed. He did the same with his other wrist, binding it to the opposite post. Danny looked him over with an appreciative gaze, arms stretched out and bound as he knelt before him, the sight made his cock pulse and he pulled in a shaky breath of expectation.

"Widen your knees pet and lean up," he ordered, watching Steve obey.

He went to their cupboard and opened it, taking out a vibrating cock ring. With a smile he returned to Steve and knelt down on a knee in front of him, noting his pet was already getting hard from the restraints and expectation of what was to come. He was glad Steve was responding positively to what was happening.

"Something to keep you entertained," Danny informed him, sliding the ring over the head of Steve's cock before flicking it on. The vibrations raced up his fingers and Steve shifted slightly from the sensation. 

"Sssh, enjoy it," Danny said calmly, letting it rest part of the way down where he knew it would drive Steve wild. He leaned up and brushed fingers over Steve's face again, watching him carefully. "You come after me babe, not before. Understand?"

"Yes Sir," Steve hissed in reply, trying to concentrate on dissipating the pleasure the ring was starting to create.

Danny smiled and kissed him, a possessive, demanding kiss. He licked into his lover’s mouth with a dirty intent, as he unbuckled his belt. Steve leaned into the kiss, greedy for more himself, groaning into his embrace. Danny let him take, teeth grazing over his lips, nipping down and pulling, Steve's breath hitting off his moist lips. Danny unzipped himself as he kissed and teased him, easing out his hard cock and jacking off as he prepared his pet’s greedy mouth. He wrenched himself away with a sigh, Steve jerking forward, eyes heavy with lust, arms straining in his bonds as Danny stood.

"Open up," he ordered gently.

Steve didn't pause to obey him, parting his lips eagerly and Danny fed his cock into the warm moist confines without much pause of his own, giving a sigh in pleasure and relief. Having Steve work his cock with his mouth came merely second to burying his cock into his lover’s ass in terms of his favourite things to do with his sub. It wasn't just the feeling of pleasure Steve created when sucking and swallowing him down but the look of bliss on his face as he did it. Danny couldn't help but feel a pleasure overload as he helped his lover indulge in being dominated in this fashion.

He stared down at him, watching how Steve's lips stretched to accommodate his thick shaft, eyes closed for now as he revelled in the act. Steve moaned deliciously around his cock, tongue massaging the underside as Danny steadied himself and gave a small thrust of his hips.

Steve breathed in deep through his nose, taking in the musky scent of his lover. Danny's fingers were steady on his head, pressing and encouraging him as he sucked and swallowed around his cock. Steve pulled on the bonds that held him securely, just to enjoy the feel of being bound. He shifted on his knees, moaning as the vibrations of the cock ring rang constantly up and down his own shaft, making it twitch in pleasure. As Danny thrusted his hips lightly, cock sliding in and out of his wet, hungry lips, his collar shifted on his neck, the tag tap- tap- tapping on his skin. He let out another groan as submission enveloped him like a blanket. He'd missed this, being on his knees for his Master, sensing the domination that was aimed towards him. Having his jaw ache as he fed on his cock, using his mouth to bring him pleasure.

He sucked until his cheeks hollowed every time Danny pulled out, massaged his tongue along the shaft as it was fed back in, covering it in slick wet as his mouth watered from the taste. He listened to his Master, his grunts and moans, endearments and encouragements poured out to him like a litany. He bucked his hips into an empty void as the cock ring teased him relentlessly, desperately seeking for what wasn't there. He wouldn’t reach his own orgasm as easily as his Dom, which was Danny's plan, making his entire being work for it.

"Look at me Steve," Danny urged in a gentle, sweet tone.

Steve opened his eyes and looked up, seeing Danny's lust at the sight. Danny's free hand reached down, thumb brushing over his brow to his temple.

"So fucking beautiful," Danny murmured under his breath. Steve felt a swell of pride at the words and tone as they were spoken, humming out his thanks around his cock. Danny's fingers wrapped into his hair, urging his head back. "Open up, give me more baby."

Steve knew what he wanted, went with it, head tipping back a little more and giving Danny more space to slide into. Fuck it felt good, the tip of cock teasing his throat, causing his breath to stutter as he tried not to gag. He relaxed his jaw and took everything his Dom gave him, hips bucking in desperation now, groans gagged by Danny's cock stuffing his mouth. Fuck he loved this, loved how Danny let him indulge in this, let him get lost in this pleasure, grounded by his Dominance, floating in his submission.

His arms and shoulders ached pleasantly, wrists and hands pulling at the rope, knees grazing against the carpet. He felt desperate and drunk with need now, cock throbbing, pleasure pooling in his hips from the teasing, constant vibrations that tortured him. He stared up at his Dom, watched his jaw slacken as he stared down at him, fingers holding his head steady, other hand pressing against his cheeks to feel them working around his shaft.

Danny began thrusting firmly; finding a steady rhythm and Steve gurgled and groaned messily around his dick.

"Fuck, fuck Steve," Danny gasped, squeezing his eyes shut, unable to concentrate on much more than burying his cock into Steve's wet, sloppy embrace. "Open that throat for me baby, yeah."

Steve relaxed as much as he could, ignoring his own needs and focusing purely on his Dom's energy and wants. He slackened his jaw, let Danny slide in and out of his own accord, felt grounded from his hand on his head. He pressed his tongue up against his shaft to give him more friction to fuck against, urging him on to empty everything into his waiting throat with a heavy moan.

"Fuck, pet, fuck," Danny growled out, hips snapping as his pleasure hit him, a full on blow of pleasure rippling through him as his balls throbbed and emptied. He felt Steve swallow around the head of his dick and groaned, feeling his cock vibrate and shoot out his come over and over into the contracting throat. 

He stilled when his cock had emptied, Steve swallowing down every drop and moaning gratefully around his shaft. His tongue laved against his cock, sensitive now and Danny sucked in a breath softly.

"Mmm, yeah, clean me up baby," Danny encouraged, beginning to pull out. Steve licked and lapped greedily against his dick until Danny stood back.

Steve looked up at him, eyes glazed over with lust and pleasure as well as his submission, feeling it wrapping him up like a heavy blanket. He focused on his Dom, red lips pouty and swelled from their workout around his cock, jaw slack as he took in breaths.

"Stay like that," Danny breathed out heavily, transfixed with the sight as he dropped to a knee. His hand closed over the vibrator on Steve's cock, making his sub groan as he was reminded of the teasing torture on his cock.

Danny watched him, moving the ring up and down his shaft as Steve moaned in response, a throaty, breathy moan of desperation.

"Maybe we'll just leave this on for a while," Danny teased quietly, earning a strangled gasp from his lover as the ring drifted over the crown of his dick and back down.

"Please Master," Steve gasped out, focusing on him, trying to lean into him, his bonds stopping his movement and he jerked his hips towards him.

"I said stay still pet," Danny reminded him firmly, moving the ring back down his shaft a little harder, taking pity on him.

Steve stilled but looked imploringly at him and Danny was aware how deep he was floating in his sub space right then. How careful and gentle he had to be with him.

"Such a good boy," Danny smiled, leaning forward to kiss him gently, getting a taste of himself and humming softly before pulling back. "You want to come for me Steven?"

"Yes, please, please," Steve said voice quiet and desperate.

"Ask me nicely," Danny encouraged, enjoying how much Steve was embracing his submission right then. It humbled him that he could help Steve reach that part of him so deeply, understanding how important that was right now for him.

"Please, Master, may I come for you?" Steve asked, gentle and sweet, voice pleading. "Let me come Sir, please. Please?"

Danny lifted his free hand and ran his fingers over Steve's face, fascinated with his expression, his tone and the gentleness in his desperation.

"Come for me pet," Danny encouraged, fingers massaging the ring up and down firmly on his shaft to help him along. "Show me what I do for you beautiful."

"Oh Sir, fuck," Steve grunted and grimaced, thrusting his hips into Danny's hold and Danny dragged his thumb along Steve's lower lip as he lost himself in his pleasures. "Gonna come Sir, fuck, I'm gonna come."

"Yes Steven, good boy," Danny smiled, watching as Steve closed his eyes, jerking and shuddering in his bonds as he chased his ecstasy. "Good boy."

"Oh - fuck - fuck," Steve gasped out, chest arching as he thrusted his hips, come spurting out over Danny's hand, dripping down his cock and spraying the carpet. "Master, Sir - fuck."

"Yes pet, yes," Danny urged him, not letting go, holding the vibrator in place as Steve's cock continued to twitch and Steve writhed in his bonds. "Every drop Steve, give me everything pet."

"Mmm f'k," Steve groaned at the teasing on his sensitive dick, trembling as it twitched again, a small spurt of come pooling from the head. Another twitch and jerk of his hips and more drops gathered to drip slowly down.

"Good boy," Danny petted him gently as he milked every drop before easing the ring off as Steve moaned sensitively, slumping down on his knees. 

Danny turned off the vibrator and shuffled forward, pulling him in to lean against him, Steve's head resting against his shoulder. He held him close, hands petting over him until he felt him breathing easier, relaxing against him. Danny cradled the back of his neck with a hand and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"You still with me?" he smiled, sitting back and tilting Steve's face up to him. He could read the signs and Steve was still floating pretty deeply as he smiled back at him, giving an unsteady nod.

"Think so," Steve replied quietly.

"Let's get you a little more comfortable," Danny said, moving away.

" 'am comfortable," Steve replied groggily, leaning into him and Danny grinned as he stood and carefully removed Steve's cuffs.

"C'mere," Danny urged him to his feet, pulling him to the bed. 

He sat on it, pulling himself into the middle against the headboard and opened his legs, getting Steve to settle between them, back to his chest, head leaning back on his shoulder. Steve settled heavy and content against him as Danny wrapped his arms around him and held him. He knew how important it was Steve felt grounded and safe as he floated, he needed time to snap out of it. It could be a while before he snapped fully out of it, but for now, he'd hold him until he came down a little from the submissive high he was in.


	12. Chapter 12

(Two Weeks Later)

Rick still wasn't happy about it, but he parked the car in the driveway and cast Kau'i a wary glance. He'd said little on the drive over from the hotel. Physically he was doing much better, body healing as it should be and he'd spoken to his office saying he'd return to work the following week, though they assured him his case load was covered. Rick couldn't tell him what to do, but if he had his way, he'd keep him safe with him somewhere, away from anyone or anything that could hurt him. But he knew he couldn't wrap Kau'i up in cotton wool or keep him a prisoner of his possessive tendencies.

"You sure about this?" Rick asked to get his attention. Kau'i turned to him with a genuine smile, looking out to the house before reaching out and resting a hand on his cheek.

"About coming home?" Kau'i asked with a grin. "I'm pretty sure this is where I want to be."

Rick had suggested they rent a beach house, Kau'i had brushed off the idea. Their stay at the hotel had been long enough, though money wasn't a problem, Kau'i knew it was an extravagance they didn't need to continue indulging in. Rick wasn't one to brag or show off in any extreme way about how rich he was, nor did he lord it over him about his wealth, he didn't to anyone. He owned flash cars, a large mansion, uptown apartments and had recently enquired about purchasing a yacht, but he didn't go throwing his money around like confetti in peoples faces. Kau'i had had to argue his way into paying for some of the bills despite Rick's protests.

Rick had already been back to the house over the last weeks and it had taken a few fingers of scotch for him to go back to the cell and put it to rights. All the while the haunting presence of what had happened to Kau'i had plagued his thoughts. He'd returned the cell to its usual setting, before drawing the blind on the window, shutting off the light and inter-com and locking the door securely. The key was in his safe, but he wasn't sure he'd ever allow it to be used again.

Even in their own private play room, nearby the bedroom, Rick had pushed the andrews cross he had in there to one side. It was rare they played with it any way, but he couldn’t stomach the thought of seeing Kau'i tied to something like it again. He wasn't sure about anything anymore concerning that part of their relationship. But it had been an eye opening experience realising just how connected they were, how strong their bond of love for one another was after the last month or so. That stripping away everything that their relationship had consisted of, no titles or roles to play, just them was enough. He knew he'd never loved anyone the way he loved Kau'i and that that love was returned so deeply was something he truly treasured.

For the rest of the day he shadowed Kau'i all around the house, sitting with him while he ate, watched TV, made phone calls, sat by the pool. At first Kau'i had been okay with his constant presence but eventually he sighed and turned to him with a soft but reproachful look.

"Rick, you can't guard me forever," he told him gently. "We need to get back to normal and I don't remember you following me everywhere I went before the attack happened."

"I just," Rick said solemnly. "I'm sorry but, it's your first day back baby. I need to see you're okay."

"You want me to be honest?" Kau'i asked him, moving closer. "I'm glad I'm home, but I'm also nervous okay? I want to be here but I'm glad you're around. I'm not sure how I'll be when I'm here by myself but that wasn't very often any way with me out all day at the office and you working from home. I appreciate you're worried but I need to face this fear for myself, knowing you're there for me but not holding my hand twenty four seven. I rely on you, but I can't expect you to carry me and shield me from everything and you'll end up resenting me for it. And I'll end up hating your constant watchfulness."

Rick nodded with a grim smile. Kau'i was right, they needed to get back to normal, at least sort of.

"You’re right, I'm sorry," Rick agreed. "Just indulge me for today okay? I've got nothing else to do. Tomorrow I've got two clients coming over in the afternoon so I'll be out of your hair but still in the house."

"Good," Kau'i smiled with a nod. "You're getting back into work?"

"If I keep filtering them off to other people I'll not have anyone left who'll want my services," Rick explained teasingly.

"You'll always have me," Kau'i smiled and there was a look in his eyes, one of promise and hope. Since the attack they'd not been very physical, some heavy kissing and petting but nothing more. 

At first he'd been okay with it, but more and more he was needing their physical relationship to go back to normal as their daily lives were. Rick seemed more reluctant than he was to get intimate, especially as his Dom. Even as he spoke Rick flinched and pulled back a little, guarded, when all Kau'i wanted him to do was pin him to the counter and kiss him possessively and hungrily. Kau'i sighed and sank back against the counter, understanding fully. He wasn't even sure how he'd react if Rick suddenly launched into full Dominant mode, but even a sprinkling of it would be nice to settle that part of him that needed to submit. He stared at Rick wondering how they were going to get past this barrier that had erected itself between them when it came to sliding into their roles. If he let David break that, like he'd tried to break him, then that meant he won. And the bastard wasn't going to get away with it.

"Will you take me upstairs?" Kau'i asked quietly. Since they'd gotten home they'd wandered the downstairs from room to room, four hours and neither of them had ventured up stairs. Their bags still lay in the front lobby. Rick swallowed down and looked at him sharply, about to make an excuse not to venture up there. "Please Rick. We can't hide down here forever, this is our home, we need to get past this."

Rick set down the bottle of water he'd been drinking from and gave a reluctant sigh, squaring his shoulders and turning away from him.

"Okay," he surrendered.

Kau'i smiled, reaching out to him before he walked away, sliding his hand into his. Rick may have been reluctant in taking the Dominant role but Kau'i was determined to make him remember and feel his role all the same, as leader and protector of him. He lagged a little behind, just to feel the pull as Rick took him into the hall to the stairs. Rick led them up to the top balcony, Kau'i fell silent, remembering the last time he walked those stairs. He'd arrived home, finding the house empty and had short cutted through the cell rooms to get to their wing. Rick led them the long way around, the doors to the cell rooms firmly closed and Kau'i tightened his fingers into his as they neared the Master suite.

That was where David had been waiting for him.

Rick turned the handle and pushed the door open. It was still bright outside and the blinds were drawn back, flooding the room with light. Kau'i remembered thinking he'd shower, change and wait for Rick to come home.

He let go of Rick's hand and wandered around the room. There was changes, little changes that would be missed to anyone not familiar with it. Because it was their private room where nobody but themselves, a maid and John ever ventured. Usually there was a constant reminder of their roles for him to focus on. Chains or bondage ropes hanging from the posts of the bed, his wrist and ankle cuffs were always slung over the headrest for quick retrieval. All were missing. He turned away from the bed to look at the wall opposite, where usually a crop, paddle, flogger and cane hung as a reminder of his fate if he was disobedient. He wondered if he crossed to the small cupboard in the corner where they kept toys and supplies, if that would be bare also.

He scoured the room with his eyes, taking in all the losses, like their roles had been stripped away, searching for the one thing he'd been missing more than anything. It was a relief to see the dark mahogany box sitting on the dresser where it usually sat. He went to it, picking it up and opening it just to make sure his collar was still there. He turned to Rick with a soft but accusing expression.

"Rick, why -," he started, waving a hand around the room in disappointment.

"I just wasn't sure what you would be ready for baby," Rick said to him, drawing closer.

"You've taken everything away," Kau'i said solemnly, fingering the collar where it lay curled in its velvet surroundings.

"No, not away," Rick said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Just out of sight. To be honest when I came here the first time after what had happened, alone, I couldn't bear to look at them, that's why I put it all way."

"But it represents us," Kau'i implored quietly. "It's who we are."

"It isn't all that we are," Rick shook his head, hand trailing up to cup his neck. "It's part of who we are to each other. But it isn't everything."

"I don't want to lose you," Kau'i said fearfully. "But it's like you don't want that part of us back. And I get it Rick, I do, you're afraid, so am I. But I never realised until now just how much being a submissive is part of me, how much I enjoy living with that part of me, submitting to you, having you in my life as my partner and my Dominant. I know it's going to be hard but I can't stand the idea of that not consisting anymore."

"Hey look at me," Rick said to him firmly, fingers framing his face to make him focus on him. "That is still part of us okay? It's just going to take time for me to trust that part of me, because I need to make sure you aren't going to be suddenly bombarded with memories of what he did to you. Part of my job, as your lover, your partner, your Dominant, is making sure you're in the safest of hands, physically, emotionally, mentally. You're still my pet baby, I still own you and you still own me but I need us to take things slow, understand?"

"Yes Sir, I understand," Kau'i said quietly, enjoying the small hint of power reaching Rick's eyes as he explained himself and was replied to so meekly.

"I love you," Rick told him, leaning in and kissing him firmly.

"I love you too," Kau'i replied when his mouth was relinquished, lips left tingling and tasting of his Dom. 

"Later, if you really want, you can get things back out," Rick assured him. "Just don't rush okay?"

"Okay," Kau'i agreed with a small nod. "Maybe, later, I can wear this too?"

He held out the box to him hopefully and Rick brushed fingers down his face with a warm smile. "I'll put it on you tonight, I promise baby."

~

“You said things would change for them,” David said bitterly over the telephone. “That this would break him.”

“You think this hasn’t affected him in some way?” His Master replied, a hint of annoyance in his tone. “You have to be patient boy. What were you expecting? Richard Steadman to become some emotional wreck? I doubt since your – visit – that things have gone smoothly for him and his relationship with his pet. It isn’t what you did physically David, though you did a beautiful job, but the mental and emotional torment which will take its toll. Understand?”

“Yes Sir,” David replied meekly, still thrumming with impatience. He wanted to hear news of Richard falling apart, not of him continuing on as if what had happened was a mere bump in the road. Thoughts turned to himself and his new Master, of their continued separation. “When can I come to see you? I miss you Master.”

“I miss you too,” came the honest reply, carrying a dark undertone of just what his Master missed about his presence. “Have you been a good boy, pet?”

“Yes Sir,” David sighed regretfully. Three weeks of chastity was becoming increasingly frustrating, but he knew the consequences if he disobeyed his Master’s strict instructions on that score.

“Good,” His Master replied, sounding pleased. “Give me a few days to ensure you’d be safe to come back to me. Then I’ll send for you.”


	13. Chapter 13

"Duke, hey," Chin said as he answered his cell. 

"Chin, I wanted to let you know we got eyes on that David Manson you put an APB out on a few weeks back," Duke said, forgoing the 'hellos'. "The one linked to the Kahili case."

"Wow, really? How?" Chin said in surprise.

"A patrol got a look of him, one of the guys recognised his face from the APB," Duke informed him. "They got the licence plate of the car he was using, tracked him to a house, but I wasn't sure how McGarrett wanted this one brought in."

"What's the address?" Chin asked, walking out of his office and tapping on Steve's window to get his attention, motioning to the bullpen. He typed the address into the computer, said a quick thanks to Duke and hung up. 

"What's up?" Steve asked joining him, Danny and Kono also gathering around the table as he motioned them over from their offices.

"HPD got eyes on David Manson, from the Kahili case. Duke gave me the address, says he's got uniform watching the place but he knows it's our case so they are being cautious," Chin explained as the map instantly brought up the location and he zoomed in on it.

Danny stood up straighter, as did Steve as the owners name came up on the main screen.

"Steve that's Michael’s-," Danny began.

"Yeah I know," Steve nodded quickly, already heading for the doors. "Kono, I want HPD brought in as back up. If David's there I want this place surrounded, he's not slipping the net this time. Make sure they know what he looks like. Danny and me will start heading there now, you and Chin follow."

Danny fell into step by him as they headed out of HQ and for the car. "Fuck, Steve," Danny said, tossing him the keys without a word. "Is this more revenge against Rick?"

"Why would he be at Michael's place if he was after Rick?" Steve asked as the car roared into life and put his foot down. "Michael and Rick didn't meet until long after David was out of his life."

"Maybe he's going after John," Danny thought aloud, trying to process the information.

"Would make sense," Steve agreed. "Maybe he's been watching John, kept tabs on his relationship with Michael somehow. This is some kind of revenge, maybe against all of them."

"Think I should call Rick?" Danny gasped as they sped through the traffic, gripping for life onto the dash.

"No, not until we know everything," Steve said. "We can't be certain Rick wouldn't make his own way over and cause more problems. We need to contain this Danny."

~

"I've brought someone to meet you sweetheart," Michael told him once he'd finished tying off the wrist straps on John.

John looked at him nervously. Though they'd spoken on occasion of inviting someone to join them as they played, they'd not actually agreed on anything. Michael gave him a knowing smile and pressed a finger to his lips.

"It's a surprise pet," Michael shrugged in answer to John's unspoken question. "A bit of fun. Trust me."

John followed him with his eyes as Michael walked to the door and opened it.

"Actually, you already know each other," Michael explained. "So there's no need to be nervous, just behave yourself. He's a submissive also, try not to get too jealous."

John watched the door and waited, heart rate picking up a tad in nervous wondering as he waited for the new arrival. He had to admit playing with someone else had it's appeals and it wouldn't be the first time he'd shared, though not with Michael. But he still wished they'd discussed it more and he'd had a chance at least to meet this other person.

He balked in his chains when the other person entered the room, giving a shake and twist of his hands uselessly.

David sauntered in with his usual confident gait as he paused by Michael and leaned in to kiss him softly.

"Hello Master," David whispered, a finger caressing along Michael's jaw before he drew away and came further into the room. He grinned maliciously over at John. "Hello John, it's been a while. How are Rick and Kau'i?"

"David," John stuttered in shock. He gave another pull of his hands uselessly, looking from David to Michael who stood just behind him, a smile curled on the edges of his mouth.

David drew closer and John wanted nothing more than to step away from him, out of reach. There was a look of trouble in David's eyes and enjoyment, knowing the confusion and shock John would be feeling. John blinked again, once more eyes searching for Michael, as if he had answers. But David had called him Master? John didn't understand and swallowed down, his throat suddenly dry.

"Michael?" he managed to croak out, hoping futiley that this was all some kind of bad dream. This really wasn't happening. David and Michael knew each other? Were together?

David gave a mocking laugh and turned to Michael who drew him closer, a hand possessive around his waist as he drew him into a kiss. John began pulling at his restraints, desperate to free himself though it was no use. He'd let himself become trapped. Michael pulled away from kissing David to look at him menacingly, a hard look in his eyes John was used to seeing when Michael reproached him over some rule breaking he'd committed.

"Pet if you don't keep still you will be punished," he was informed.

"I don't, I don't understand-," John whispered out, looking to Michael desperately, like this was all some nightmare he'd wake from.

David laughed and looked around at him, giving a shake of his head. "You never were all that bright, despite what Richard thought of you."

Michael silenced him with a slap to the face, David cupping his cheek and looking up at him with surprised, hurt eyes.

"That's enough," Michael told him darkly. "You'll play nice. Go ready yourself, over there in the corner."

"But Sir," David began, silenced again with Michael's piercing stare. He turned to john, gave him a glare and drew away to the corner to undress. 

John followed him with his eyes before looking to Michael again. Things didn't make sense but he was beginning to shake himself from the shock and now he was beginning to feel angry.

"Let me go Michael," he said firmly.

Michael laughed gently, coming closer to him, a hand resting on his hip. "I really don't think you're in the right position to make demands my pet," he informed him.

"Don't call me that," John snapped back. "And fucking untie me."

Michael's smile turned into a leer as he pressed himself against John's body, one hand steadying his hip as the other wrapped into his hair and pulled his head back.

"Has our time together not taught you any manners my boy?" Michael asked close to his face, lips almost touching his skin. "You're mine remember and you aren't going anywhere."

John began struggling again, straining to pull his body away but Michael merely smiled and seemed to enjoy the movement. John's hands were tied but his legs were still free and he managed to get a kick in against Michael's shin though it hurt his foot the satisfaction felt good, seeing the grimace on Michael's face at the pain. Michael pulled back letting go, pain registering in his eyes but he drew himself up to full height again and smiled before slapping him, so hard it made his eyes water and head spin.

"I warned you pet, if you don't keep still you will be punished," Michael informed him, turning to where David stood, naked, surveying the scene. "David, help me move this."

John's heart sank and he struggled again but the more he struggled the more painful his arms felt and the cuffs chafed his wrists. Michael and David pulled the pony closer and John put up as much resistance as he could as Michael took him by the waist to steady him and David manourvered the beam under him, Michael forcing him to straddle it.

"No, you fucking bastard, no," John told him, able to do little to stop what was happening but determined to fight.

"David, the spreader," Michael ordered before turning his face to press his mouth to John's ear, both arms wrapped around him. "You'll ride the pony until you're ready to apologise for your behaviour boy. Don't resist me John, you and I both know how much you enjoy me as your Master. Don't resist how much freedom you feel when you let me take control. You want this, you want me."

"No, no I don't," John said, becoming fearful of Michael's power. "Please, fuck, please Michael, why are you doing this? Why are you with him?"

"David has been my pet for many years now," Michael explained pleasantly, like he were telling a story to a child. "He's a very good boy. More than good, almost perfect. You could be like him if you stopped resisting me."

"I'll never be like him," John said, kicking out as David attached the spreader to his ankle. 

David gave a scowl but managed to fasten one side to his ankle before he moved around to the other.

"Fucking - stop," John said weakly. "Please. Please don't do this."

David stood after fastening the spreader securely to his ankles. He reached up and caressed his cheek which John tried to jerk away from but all that did was cause him to press against Michael.

"Richard's boy said the same thing," David mused. "Before he cried. Will you cry John?"

"Fuck off David," John spat out but he already felt the tears forming, remembering what David had done to Kaui.

Michael tutted against his ear like he were disgusted with the tone and words.

"Bring me a gag ," he said to David. "John has earned himself a session on the pony and he will ride it in silence."

~

Steve pulled up into the street. Squad cars had already arrived, closing off both ends of the road but no activity had been detected from the house. Steve parked up and they both got out, Danny scoping out the driveway.

"That's the car, Michael's is there too," Danny said to Steve once he'd spoken to Duke. Steve approached a group of uniformed officers and reiterated his orders to make sure the place was surrounded.

"Let's go," Steve said, heading for the house, Danny at his heels but they went slow and easy. Reaching the door, Steve peered in by the side window but saw no movement inside.

"We knocking?" Danny asked with a raised brow. 

"Don't want to spook him," Steve shrugged. "Hear that? Is that someone calling for help?"

Danny rolled his eyes, silence coming from inside the house. "You're incorrigible, you know that."

Steve grinned, unholstered his gun and waited for Danny to do the same before trying the door which was unlocked. They entered slowly, guns raised and slowly made their way through the rooms. Neither of them said it or signalled for it but they read each other well enough to go silently, using signals and whispers to talk to one another. They came round full circle of the lower floor, each room empty.

"Upstairs," Steve whispered but Danny halted, puzzled and pulled him back.

"You check in there?" Danny asked in a hushed tone, nodding towards a door.

"No," Steve shook his head. He could have almost missed it, as it was built seamlessly into the wall save for a slight bump belaying the presence of the ddoor handle.

They looked at each other, nodded silently in agreement and Steve took point, sliding up to wall and giving it a small pull. The door was heavy and he had to yank it hard to open, realising as it opened that it was thick and possibly fitted for sound proofing. But once open a crack he heard the telltale signs of someone moaning in pain. There were other noises also, the grunting groans and moans of pleasure. He pushed the door wider and went inside, gun at the ready, Danny close behind.

It wasn't the easiest of sights to walk in on as they took in the room. It was a play room, fitted out in different kinds of equipment. Steve felt sick as he saw John, naked, blinfolded and gagged, astride some kind of pointed beam equipment. His arms were chained above him, legs shackled and kept open with a spreader. He was the one moaning in pain, body shaking from the evident suffering he was in. Michael and David were at the other side of the room, David naked and on his knees, Michael's gloved hand gripping his hair tightly as he sucked on his cock.

"You, stay down. You, on your knees, now," Danny barked out, breaking Steve's thoughts as he spoke to the two men. He got Michael to his knees and read them both their miranda rights as he cuffed Michael.

Steve pulled out his phone and spee dialled Chin.

"Chin, you at the house? - Yeah don't let anybody in just yet. We've got them but I want just you and Kono in here until we contain this situation," Steve said quickly. He wanted to cause John as little embarassment as possible, like they'd handled Kau'i's situation also.

"Steve, we need to help John," Danny said as he handcuffed Michael.

John was still moaning behind them and Steve nodded, turning to him.

"Yeah, I know, I know," Steve nodded. "Chin and Kono are heading in, they can take over here. You watch them until they get here."

"No," Danny said, putting a hand on his arm. "You watch them, I'll help John."

Steve was about to argue but Danny looked at him firmly and he didn't put up an argument.

"John, it's Danny," Danny said gently as he approached him. "It's okay, it's over now. I'm going to lower the beam first okay, then we can get you down and taken care of."

He carefully lowered the bench until he could be sure John could stand without it touching his genitals any. Danny touched him gently on the shoulder to assure him he was there.

"Okay, lets get this gag off first," Danny said, talking to him as he began removing his bonds. "Easy now, that's it."

He dropped the gag to the floor before he reached up to undo the blindfold. "I'm taking the blindfold off, keep your eyes closed, it'll hurt to open them with the lights full on."

John did as he was advised and ducked his head as Danny removed the blindfold also.

"Spreader next," Danny said, dropping to a knee and uncuffing the bar. He was about to move round but Steve suddenly appeared and undid the other side silently. Behind them, Kono and Chin were dealing with Michael and David. Danny stood and looked silently at Steve before he pressed a hand gently to John's chest. "John, Steve's going to hold you while I undo your hands okay? You just lean on him while we get you out of here."

Steve didn't need to be told, moving to hold John firmly, assuring him he was there as Danny lowered John's arms enough to reach up and untie the chains holding his hands. He helped him lower them slowly and they wrapped weakly around Steve's frame.

"Okay babe, gently now," Danny said, a hand on Steve's shoulder. 

Steve locked eyes with him and gave a nod before turning and whispering to John that he was going to lift him. John nodded against him mutely and Steve lifted him away from the 'pony' and into his arms.

"I'll call an ambulance," Danny said as they moved away from the pony. Steve seemed reluctant to put John down.

"No, don't, I'm fine. I'm sorry, I didn't know," John said quietly against Steve's shoulder. "I didn't know."

"None of us did," Steve assured him, standing him up but holding him, John's legs weak beneath him.

"Rick, fuck, how am I going to tell him?" John said, gripping tight against Steve's solid frame.

"He'll understand John," Steve said, looking helplessly at Danny. What was he supposed to say?

Danny rested a hand on John, rubbing in soothing circles. "It's okay John. Rick will know you didn't know anything. He'll want to take care of you. He'll want you to be safe. We all want that. Let us get you to the hospital to have you looked over."

"No, no," John shook his head, still holding Steve. "Rick, I need to talk to Rick."

"Maybe that's the best place for him for now," Steve said to Danny before looking past him "We need to deal with those two."

Danny looked behind him as Kono and Chin organised Michael and David, Chin getting David to his feet and picking up some trousers from a shelf nearby. Kono had her game face on, staring out Michael who was smirking through the entire situation like he was amused.

"Yeah, okay," Danny nodded. "Chin and Kono can take them in while we take John to Rick's."


	14. Chapter 14

Danny called ahead to Rick's as they drove over, John was slumped on the backseat, dressed in slacks and a tshirt Steve had found at the house, staring out of the window. Steve stared mutely ahead of him as he weaved through traffic.

"We'll be there soon," Danny said before disconnecting the call and looking round at John. 

John glanced at him before looking out of the window again miserably, "What'd he say?"

"Let's just say he's ready to go to HQ and deal with the two of them himself," Danny replied, turning to look at him. "He's not angry with you and he doesn't blame any of this on you. You understand that right John? None of this is your fault."

John didn't reply. He was tired, drained of energy and he didn't know what to expect from Rick. How was he going to face Kau'i? Danny didn't understand, it was all his fault. He'd helped David get close again through Michael. If he hadn't been so quick to begin a relationship, if he'd been a little more cautious. He'd shown Michael the cells - he'd shown him around the house. Michael had seen first hand the relationship of Rick and Kau'i and had been able to tell David everything, fed him the information he needed. If it hadn't of been for John, David may never have known about Kau'i and how close he and Rick had become.

They pulled up to the house and John climbed out carefully, limbs aching and painful as he walked up the steps. Before they reached the top the door was flung open and he found himself pulled into Rick's tight hold, Kau'i not close behind.

"I'm sorry," John said weakly against him. "I'm so sorry Rick."

~

Steve had been reluctant when Rick demanded he return to HQ with them. They'd both tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn't take no for an answer and they knew he'd just follow whether they gave permission or not.

Steve relented, putting a hand on Rick's shoulder as he moved past him.

"I need your word you'll keep your cool Rick," Steve told him steadily. "I'm not taking you back there so you can turn vigilante on me. You come with us you stick to my rules."

Rick looked him in the eye, face full of sadness and questioning.

"I just need to ask him why," Rick admitted ruefully.

"I'm coming too," Kau'i said from behind them.

"No Kau -," Rick shook his head but Kau'i pointedly ignored him.

"Come on John, we'll all go," Kau'i said, speaking over Rick. "Then you'll come back with us okay?"

"I don't think-," Danny began but Kau'i ignored him too, pulling John down the steps with him towards the cars and glaring at the three men, daring them to refuse him.

Rick took his car and they all arrived at HQ nervous but relieved that David had been brought in. Finally it was over. Steve led the way into the bullpen, Kono and Chin glancing over at the group with surprise.

"Where are they?" Steve asked.

"Cells," Chin told him. "Wasn't sure if you wanted us to start the questioning, figured we could wait a while."

Danny headed off towards the cells after a brief glance to Steve and small incline of his head. Steve turned to Rick, wondering just how dangerous it was to put him face to face with David. "Come on."

"Officer Kalakaua, could you find somewhere for John to rest?" Rick said turning to Kono with gentle smile. "Until we're done. Kau, go with them."

She gave a small nod, leading John towards the teams rec room. Kau was reluctant to follow and Rick put a hand on his shoulder. "Please Kau'i, John needs our support right now. And I need to do this alone."

Kau leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Don't do anything stupid in there," he whispered before following Kono.

Steve led Rick to the interrogation room where Danny had already moved David. Steve closed the door behind them and Rick swallowed down as he took in his former lover sitting before him. David gazed back at him with a glassy eyed smile.

"Richard, Sir," David grinned, sitting back. "We meet again."

"Hello David," Rick replied quietly.

David shifted in his seat, like he was too full of energy, bouncing, shaky. He gazed as Rick neared, taking him in with a frown as he took a seat opposite.

"You've aged," David said, leaning over to stare at him. "More lines around your eyes. More silver in your hair. Still attractive though."

David smiled, kind of smile that used to warm his heart but Rick found it more sinister now. Manic. Too wide, too toothy, the look in his eyes wild and mad. He'd come seeking answers, feeling anger and wrath and hate towards him for what he'd done to Kau'i. Now, as he sat before him and looked him over, he realised how broken David was. His anger tinged with a pity for the person who now sat before him. It wasn't his David any more.

"What happened to you?" Rick asked quietly, gently. This wasn't the man he'd known, not the man he'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

David's smile dropped, turned into a sneer, eyes narrowing as he sat back slowly.

"You happened," David replied. "You Richard. Don't you like what you see? I'm your pet remember?"

"I remember David," Rick replied with a small nod of his head. "I just don't remember you. You aren't him anymore."

"Yes, yes I am," David threw himself forward again. Danny put a hand on his shoulder to prevent him going further as he craned his neck towards Rick. "I'm what you wanted. The perfect pet. I've got a new Master now, had him for a while but he isn't like you. None of them were ever like you. But he helped me find you again."

"Why did you do it David?" Rick asked, knowing his voice shook, hearing the words break as he said them. “Why Kau’i?”

David smiled again, hearing the pain and the hurt, knowing he'd created it. He laughed, soft at first then louder, sucking in a breath and grinning as he looked at how small and insignificant Richard had become in his life.

"Why?" he whispered back at him. "Because I knew how much it would hurt. Oh and John was so perfect, so helpful. I think my Master developed a soft spot for him. John was always so pathetic in his submission. So willing, so eager, desperate for the love and attention, such a sissy. And in the meanwhile my Master could help me with my plan, he told me all about your new boy. About your work, your life. Michael wanted so much to help me break you."

"Is that why you did all of this?" Rick asked, staring solidly back at him. "To break me David?"

"Yes," David hissed back, becoming angry again, laughter forgotten. "The way you broke me. Endlessly always, constant, down down down, pushing me down, breaking me down. Made me crave the pain, hungry for more pleasure, always more, never enough. I was never enough for you was I Richard - you needed more so you turned to others. The Master Dom honing his craft, other pets, other pathetic beings, one was never enough. And you needed a place to house them all so you designed the cells, the Master craving power. Always more, more, more. I was never going to be enough for you, I tried, all the time I tried, let you push me, mould me. But I was never enough for you. I thought going away I'd forget about you - but you were my Sir, none of the others understood. They didn't know me like you knew me, not until Michael. He understood, he wanted to help me."

"So you hurt Kau'i and John to hurt me," Rick said with a shake of his head with digust. "This was always about revenge."

"I broke you," David smiled, satisfied, gazing at him, glassy eyed again, manic smile on his face. "What did it feel like when you saw him? Wasn't he beautiful!"

"He was always beautiful," Rick told him, thinking of his partner who waited for him in a room not too far away. "He'll always be beautiful. What you did to him wasn't beautiful David. It was cruel, torture, destruction. But you mistake creating his pain as breaking his spirit. You didn't break that. You didn't have to do all of this to break my spirit either David. You did that a long time ago when you told me you were leaving me, when you told me you hated me and never wanted to see me again. When you made me question my ethics and morals and reasons for why I do what I do. But I put myself together, John supported me in that. And then Kau'i came into my life, reminded me I was worth something and I began to trust myself again. I just wish I'd understood then what I know now, maybe then I'd have been able to help you. You do need help David, the kind of help I can't give you."

Rick stood up, looking grimly at his former lover before turning away sadly. Steve stood by the door, watching him as he approached with a hint of pride in his eyes at his behaviour.

"He'll hate you eventually," David said from his chair kept firmly down by Danny's steady hand on his shoulder. "One day he'll wake up and hate you, just like I did."

Rick ignored him, putting a hand on Steve's chest as he paused at the door.

"Thanks," Rick whispered to him.

Steve gave a slight nod and let him leave without a word. Rick wandered out from the cells back into the bullpen, seeing Kau'i and John being mothered by Kono. Blankets, popcorn, TV on as they squeezed onto the couch. He went to the doorway and leaned against it.

"You guys look comfortable," he said with a small smile. "I'm a little reluctant to break up the party."

Kau'i stood and went to him, searching his face for answers. Rick smiled meekly at him.

"Everything all right?" Kau'i asked him.

"I should take you both home," Rick sighed, resting a hand on his waist. "We're all done here."

Kau'i took in his features, the tiredness in his eyes, the sadness there. "I want to speak to him."

Rick gave a weak shake of his head, "No. You don't need to."

"Rick -," Kau'i sighed, leaning against him.

"It's over now," Rick said quietly. "This was always about me Kau. All he will do is mock you and taunt you and you don't need that. You've sufferred enough."

"I need to see his face," Kau'i admitted, letting out a deep breath, looking up at Rick again. "I'm tired of dreaming about shadows."

"So you'd prefer nightmares of him hiding in those shadows instead?" Rick replied, trying to be gentle. "Look I can't tell you no as much as I want to. I'm just asking you not to go down there. Please."

Kau'i looked away in the direction of the cells. He wondered if facing David would help or merely add to his problems like Rick said. They had months ahead of them to contend with and he'd face David in court eventually any way. Rick held his hand tight and Kau'i could feel the protective streak of his lover emanating from him and the natural submission he felt washing over him when he was in his presence.

"All right," Kau'i nodded with a gentle nod of his head. "I won't."

"What about Michael?" John asked from the sofa. Kono looked also, brow furrowing as she tried to understand the reasonings of what had happened. Maybe they'd none of them understand fully.

Rick gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "David said Michael helped him. It was easy once Michael became friends with us. He used your relationship to get close to me and I guess to check out the house, gave David information on how to get in and out without being detected. David was familiar with the place but the security has changed since he was there. Michael used you, used all of us. I just wish I'd been able to protect you both from all of this."

~

It was late when Steve demanded they call it a night. They'd arrested and charged David and Michael who were for the time being, safely locked up. They'd worry about backing up the legal charges against them later, but he could happily say case closed on a case that had come too close to home. Statements written he chased Kono and Chin from their desks and neither of them were resistant. Danny was just closing down his laptop as Steve appeared to drag him home too. Steve leaned against the door frame tiredly.

"You ready?" he asked, watching Danny push his chair back.

Danny nodded wearily, "Yeah, all done."

"You want take out?" Steve asked as they headed through the offices side by side.

"Sure, yeah, whatever," Danny shrugged, too tired to make a decision. He'd happily skip a meal and collapse into their bed to sleep.

"You okay?" Steve asked as they walked outside, cool night breeze a refreshing change to the heavy atmosphere inside.

"Just tired babe," Danny said. "Think I'm too tired to eat."

They got into the car and Steve took the roads slow as they drove home, not even bothered himself for a meal. He was thoughtful as he drove, casting glances at Danny every chance he could.

"Think John's all right?" He asked as he stopped at lights.

"I think he will be," Danny answered looking over to him. "Rick will get him to talk. He can't keep blaming himself for what happened. Rick will make sure he knows that."

"The way we found him," Steve said, gripping the wheel tight as he pulled away from the lights. "That thing Michael had him over."

"It's called a 'wooden pony'," Danny explained. "Looking over that playroom of Michael's, he's pretty heavily into the S&M scene. The pony is designed to inflict serious pain. Some people are into it but not the way Michael was using to it harm John. That's just torture."

"Most things in the scene could be seen as torture," Steve said sharply as he pulled into their road.

Danny didn't reply as Steve brought the car into the driveway, but reached out and put a hand on his arm as they parked up.

"From the outside yeah, people don't understand," Danny said gently. "But you know the truth babe. It's all about the trust remember?"

"John trusted Michael," Steve said angrily, pulling away and getting out of the car, slamming the door shut. Danny sighed and got out of his own side, eyeing Steve over the roof of the car.

Steve stared at him before grimacing, locking the car and turning to the house.

"Sorry," he muttered under his breath as Danny followed him.

"No, you're right," Danny said beside him. "John did trust Michael. But Michael abused that trust and John was too naieve to see it until it was too late. Michael lured him into a false sense of security and took advantage of the situation. But not everyone does that Steve, you know that."

"I know," Steve nodded as he let them into the house and disconnected the security system. "It just makes me so fucking mad."

"And it makes me mad. And it makes Rick and Kau'i mad," Danny shrugged. "But it doesn't change how I feel and it doesn't change what I want in a relationship."

"Me either," Steve replied with a shake of his head.

"I'm too tired to eat," Danny said after a pause, "I'm just gonna crash. You coming to bed?"

"Yeah I'll be up in a minute," Steve nodded, resetting the alarm. Though he knew the house was secure he still did a sweep out of habit, listening to Danny move about upstairs. Tiredly he went to join him in the bedroom, finding Danny stripped down and standing by the dresser, fingering the collar.

Steve went to him, sliding arms around his waist as he looked at him in the mirror. Danny smiled back at him thoughtfully.

"You know take away this," Danny said, motioning to the collar. "And everything else, I'd still want to be with you, you know that right?"

Steve ducked his head so he could press a kiss to Danny's neck, the skin warm against his lips. "I know," he whispered in reply, looking back up at the mirror. "I'd still want you too. Those roles don't define us, I know that. But I like that part of us, I like letting go and allowing that side of me out. That's why I'm angry Danny, not because of the lifestyle. But because John put his trust in someone the way I trust you, the way Kau trusts Rick and that trust was used to hurt and torture him. He deserves better than that, he's a good person."

"He'll learn to trust again," Danny said quietly, placing a hand over his where it lay at his waist and patting it gently. "He will, I promise he will. Because he's got Rick and Kau to help him through this."

Steve didn't reply and just held him for a time before Danny moved with a smile. "Come on, bed. I'm dog tired and stand there long enough I'll just fall asleep against you."

Reluctantly Steve pulled away, stripping down before dissappearing into the bathroom as Danny got into bed. Steve joined him under the sheets and spooned up behind him.

"I know we've been taking things slow lately babe but I was thinking maybe this weekend we could take some time to reconnect," Danny said quietly as Steve settled against him.

"Sounds like a plan," Steve agreed sleepily with a smile. "I'd like that."

~ fin ~


End file.
